Horse racing-Al Boum Photo wins Cheltenham Gold Cup

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates with Al Boum Photo after winning the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

CHELTENHAM, England (Reuters) - Al Boum Photo, ridden by Paul Townend, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday to give trainer Willie Mullins his first victory in the flagship race.

The 12-1 shot beat Anibale Fly and Bristol De Mai as favourite Presenting Percy had a disappointing run.

"It feels great," Mullins, who had trained six runners-up in the race, told ITV Sport.

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates by kissing Al Boum Photo after winning the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

"It's good to get the Gold Cup finally, three of my other four runners were out before the circuit finished. But Al Boum Photo looked so relaxed and I knew he could jump.

"I come here every year and start afresh, but I didn't think I would have a good Cheltenham with how the winter had gone."

Victory was bittersweet for Mullins as one of his other runners in the Gold Cup, Invitation Only, suffered a serious fall and had to be euthanised.

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates with the trophy after riding Al Boum Photo to victory in the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

It followed the death of Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Erec who was put down following an injury sustained after going over a fence in the race won by 20-1 shot Pentland Hills.

"There was no reason we could have predicted that injury (to Sir Erec)," David Sykes, the director of Equine Health and Welfare at the British Horseracing Authority, told ITV.

"Beforehand, when he was checked, the vets reported he moved well and had no indication of lameness or injuries. We are never going to stop those sort of catastrophic injuries."

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates on Al Boum Photo after winning the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Three horses have died at the four-day festival after Tuesday's fatal injury to Mullins-trained Ballyward.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond and Toby Chopra)

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates on Al Boum Photo after winning the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Al Boum Photo ridden by Paul Townend during the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates on Al Boum Photo after winning the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Al Boum Photo ridden by Paul Townend during the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 15, 2019 Paul Townend celebrates on Al Boum Photo after winning the 3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Eddie Keogh