2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup

[Statto]

Long Run shortening on basis it could be a slog ?

[Yeehaa]

Catching Pigeons

Away from the good things (and Henderson very much includes Simonsig in this category), Bobs Worth is the stable's bet of the week in the Gold Cup.

[Morning Glory]

Chris Cook goes for Bobs

Bobs Worth (3.20) has rarely experienced defeat and never at Cheltenham, where he has won all four of his outings by at least two lengths. Those include a hurdles defeat of Rock On Ruby, while he also beat Thursday's hero, Cue Card, when the two were novice chasers at Newbury.

His latest run was his best, carrying a big weight to land November's Hennessy by three lengths from Tidal Bay, who then beat Sir Des Champs in the Lexus. While it is true that Tidal Bay carried 6lb more than Bobs Worth in the Newbury race, it is a stretch to say he would have won at level weights, since the winner scored with what looked like a degree of comfort.

Sir Des Champs is plainly a danger and his jumping is likely to improve on this ground, drier than he has been racing on so far this winter. But the quality of his Festival wins does not match those of Bobs Worth.

Silviniaco Conti also has a bit to prove, having beaten Long Run when that rival was short of peak fitness. Long Run deserves every respect for regaining his King George crown in December, though his disappointing effort last year invites caution.

Wayward Prince could surprise a few in a first-time tongue tie but Captain Chris looks the best each-way bet, his good Festival record including success in the Arkle. He has shown a tendency to jump right at this left-handed track and that would cost him, though it did not stop him running on into fourth in the Ryanair last year.

[Morning Glory]

...aussie Jim goes for Bobs Worth

Cheltenham Festival 2013: Bobs Worth can win Gold Cup for Nicky Henderson and edge out Silviniaco Conti
In a Festival week rendered unforgettable by the mesmeric powers of Sprinter Sacre, his understated stablemate, Bobs Worth, gets his chance in the limelight in Friday’s Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup. He is set to become the race’s 29th winning favourite.
Nicky Henderson can cap a glorious four days with victory in the showpiece of the meeting, although this will be as tough an assignment as Bobs Worth has faced in his 11-start career. His relative inexperience is outweighed by his love of Prestbury Park’s unique steeplechase course, where he remains unbeaten after four starts.

Amid the inevitable Sprinter Sacre adulation, a welcome and respectful reference to past greats is made through the parading of the recently-retired Kauto Star prior to Friday’s feature. His last ever race was in the Gold Cup a year ago when jockey Ruby Walsh pulled him up before the 10th fence. The Gold Cup crowd are guaranteed to be warm in their appreciation.

Henderson has found himself torn between two camps domestically in the run up to this year’s Gold Cup. Apart from Bobs Worth, who he describes as a baby and relatively unexposed, he also saddles Long Run, the consistent but unflamboyant winner of the 2011 Gold Cup.

It is a strong hand for any trainer, but Henderson has been very careful not to openly take sides in all the pre-Festival discussions, giving the impression he would be delighted for either to take the honours, and who can blame him?

For me, though, Bobs Worth represents the rising generation and the future. Two years ago, Long Run was the young buck responsible for seeing off Kauto Star, Denman and the old guard, but rather than setting up a sequence, his forceful rise to the top simply stuttered and paused.

t has become a trend for the leading chasers to be seen on the racecourse less often. A decade ago, Best Mate was restricted to only three outings a season, but Henrietta Knight, his trainer, explained this was not a ploy to protect her horse from would-be challengers, more a matter of dealing with Best Mate’s delicate constitution.

At the end of their racing careers, both Kauto Star and Denman had curtailed seasons, and although Bobs Worth comes to his first Gold Cup with only one outing all season under the belt – his victory in the Hennessy at Newbury in December – it is not by design. Originally, Henderson had wanted to run him in the Argento Chase in late January, but the gelding scoped badly and missed the race.

“I would like to have run him, but he missed it, and thank goodness he missed it,” the trainer said, referring to the testing ground that day.

“In this Gold Cup, we are really going to find out who Bobs Worth is, and what he is. He’s not yet reached superstar status. He’s won a novice chase, then the RSA [Chase, defeating First Lieutenant last year], and a handicap [the Hennessy],” Henderson said.

In his yard at home, Bobs Worth is the complete opposite to Sprinter Sacre, the showman, who loves the attention. “You wouldn’t know Bobs Worth was there,” Henderson reported. “But he’s won four times at Cheltenham, and that must be in his favour. He loves it there.”

Paul Nicholls has been relatively quiet this week, but Silviniaco Conti gives him a chance of equalling Tom Dreaper’s record of training five Gold Cup winners. Jumping fences has been the making of this seven-year-old, who was impressive in winning at Haydock Park in November and workmanlike at Newbury last month. I consider him the danger.

Long Run will seek to emulate Kauto Star by winning back the Gold Cup crown. Kauto Star won it again in 2009, having first claimed it in 2007. Once it has slipped from their grasp, it is exceptionally hard to win back, as the statistics show, but the application of cheek pieces should have a significant effect on Long Run.

Willie Mullins will attempt to become the 10th trainer to complete the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double in the same year, the most recent being Kim Bailey in 1995, with Alderbrook and Master Oats.

Mullins, who won with Hurricane Fly on Tuesday, will saddle Sir Des Champs in a race that looks tailor-made for his talents but without regular partner Davy Russell who was injured at Cheltenham on Wednesday. But for me, the winner will be Bobs Worth, the unpretentious star who deserves his place in the limelight.

[Morning Glory]

After confirmation came that Russell’s spontaneous punctured lung will keep him out of today’s action, speculation intensified as to who will team up with Ireland’s big hope of blue-riband glory.

With Ruby Walsh committed to the English hope Silviniaco Conti, the option of using his number two rider Paul Townend is open to Mullins.

However, Gigginstown Stud, who own Sir Des Champs, have used another top young Irish rider, Bryan Cooper, extensively this season and he stepped in for Russell on board both First Lieutenant and Bog Warrior yesterday.

“I don’t see any reason to rush into a decision and I would imagine we will leave it as late as possible,” said Mullins who wouldn’t be budged on possible names. “I’ll have to have a look at who’s available.”

The British champion Tony McCoy is booked to ride Sunnyhillboy for his boss JP McManus in the Gold Cup. The Gigginstown boss, Michael O’Leary said: “I don’t know who will ride Sir Des Champs, we’ll talk to Willie overnight and decide who is the best available.

“Davy’s health is my biggest concern. He has a punctured lung which has to be drained. It’s quite serious and he can’t travel home. He might need a small operation.”

[Hoof]

Bazza

turning to tomorrow, Friday promises to be a massive final day and I am fortunate to have some fine rides lined up but there’s no question about the pick of them, BOBS WORTH in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.20).

It’s been an amazing journey for him and, as you know, one that I’ve been involved in for a long time.

When I was handling him at home as a an immature three-year-old I never thought I’d be riding him at three successive Cheltenham Festivals.

Not just that, he’s going for an amazing hat-trick having won the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in 2011, last year’s RSA Chase and now he’s got the big one in his sights.

He’s the complete opposite to Sprinter Sacre, just gets on with the job and does what he has to do.

When he gets into a scrap and has to fight, he knows what it takes to come out on top and you can’t put a price on that.

There’s no doubt that this is the hardest task he’s had but he showed when he won the Hennessy at Newbury in early December that he’s making good improvement.

I’m not worried that he hasn’t run since because he’s had no real hold up and just suffered a bad scope in January which wasn’t serious.

I’ve worked and schooled him recently and I couldn’t be any happier with the way Nicky has him at the moment; I’ve given him a pop on the schooling ground the last two weekends and he is spot on.

But I don’t think anyone is under any illusion about the job in hand because this is a top class field with another seriously improving second-season chaser, Silviniaco Conti.

I’ve got a lot of respect for him and he is more experienced over fences than my lad and for that reason is rated 4lb superior. Having said that, no one knows what mark Bobs Worth would have got to if he’d run more this season.

Then there’s the former champion Long Run. Although he’s been beaten by Silviniaco Conti earlier in the season I think you’ll see a much sharper Long Run now that he’s got the cheek pieces on.

They’ve certainly livened him up when I’ve watched him at home recently.

Sir Des Champs is a very good horse but right now I don’t think he’s quite got the form in the book that the other three have to win a race of this stature.

[Hoof]

Is AP acutally confirmed for Sir Des

[mayo]

Racing was the real winner, as Bobs Worth’s limitless stamina kicked in to land a decisive success in what was a fantastic Betfred Gold Cup at Cheltenham yesterday.


UNSTOPPABLE: Bobs Worth, with Barry Geraghty up, jumps the last on the way to winning yesterday's Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup. Picture: Paul Mohan/Sportsfile

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By Pat Keane

This was a contest where no quarter was asked or given, as the winner of two years ago, Long Run, carried them along at a ferocious gallop.

Long Run hit the first, but then proceeded to give an exhibition of jumping for his amateur rider, Sam Waley-Cohen.

For a lot of the journey, he was closely attended by Sir Des Champs, with Tony McCoy replacing Davy Russell, absent because of a spontaneous lung puncture.

The third last was to play a major part in the final outcome of a race that was riveting throughout.

There was little to choose rising to the obstacle between Long Run and Sir Des Champs, with Silviniaco Conti poised and, apparently, full of running in third. The Giant Bolster was fourth and Bobs Worth was back in fifth and with ground to make up.

Silviniaco Conti, however, who made a shuddering mistake on the first circuit, buckled on landing and Geraghty had to take swift action to avoid his prostrate rival.

Turning in to face the judge, Sir Des Champs seemed to be full of running, but by the time the second last was reached, the distress signals were flying.

And now Bobs Worth was in full flow, under an inspired Geraghty drive. He had clearly calculated they had gone too fast in front and refused to make his move until good and ready. Between the last two fences, there was only going to be one winner. Bobs Worth roared into the lead, popped the last and came up the hill like a lion to score going away by seven lengths.

Sir Des Champs, who looked destined for third two out, rallied back to grab second, but his legs had turned to jelly and he was out on his feet close home, but in front of Long Run.

Geraghty dedicated his win to John Thomas McNamara, who was seriously injured in a fall off Galaxy Rock on Thursday.

Said Geraghty: “I just wish it was a happier day, because we are all very upset about John Thomas. You have to put it out of mind when you’re racing, but even though this is one of the biggest days of my career, all I could think about was John Thomas. He’s a friend of ours and I hope and pray he will be okay.”

Reflecting on the race, Geraghty reported: “He just struggled on the soft ground most of the way. After a mile, I knew he wasn’t happy, so I started trying to conserve his energy and save a bit. From there I just took my time and chased him along quietly.

“I thought I was beaten with five or six to jump, but he ran on down the hill, jumped the third last well and, from there on, I just held him together. He’s not over-big and, ideally, wants better ground, it was hard for him. I knew if I needed it, there was a good bit in reserve. He showed a lot of pace when working at Kempton last week. I knew I had to delay my challenge and not be in a big panic.”

It was an extraordinary training performance by Nicky Henderson. Bobs Worth had only run once this season and that was way back on December 12 when landing the Hennessy at Newbury.

“Bobs Worth is such an honest horse and a thorough professional that loves what he does. He loves coming up that hill, Barry just let him creep into it,” said Henderson. “There is only three weeks to Aintree, but I wouldn’t completely rule it out. There is also Punchestown, but we will just see how he is.”

It was a 50th festival winner for Henderson.

Willie Mullins is already planning his campaign around Sir Des Champs’ attempt to go one better next year. “He’s run a grand race, considering I didn’t think he was too happy throughout. He didn’t appear to travel at any stage, Tony was niggling all of the time. I would rather it hadn’t rained, but you can’t change these things. I’d like to come back on better ground, we’ll definitely come back for another go.”Home

[mayo]

Festival form so often proves paramount and there are no better equipped horses for one week in March than Bobs Worth as he emerged triumphant in a reliably thrilling Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

With the first and the third home in former champion Long Run, Nicky Henderson could not have picked a more fitting outcome to take his unprecedented haul at the meeting to a cool 50.

There was a record, too, for Bobs Worth, who is unbeaten in five visits to the course and, in adding to the RSA and the Albert Bartlett, he had already earned, was becoming the first since the great Flyingbolt in the 1960s to secure three different Festival events in consecutive years.

Jockey Barry Geraghty bought the gelding as a yearling and made just a minor profit when selling him on at for just over £20,000 at four to Henderson and The Not Afraid Partnership, a syndicate of largely racing and business establishment friends headed by Malcolm Kimmins.

To clinch his second Gold Cup after Kicking King in 2005 hardly made the wounds feel too sore. Surprisingly, the 11-4 favourite was making just his second appearance of the season after his victory in November’s Hennessy as Henderson had opted for racecourse gallops and sessions at home to prepare for Cheltenham, unwilling was he to risk him publicly during the wet winter.

A rainy Cotswolds day was not ideal, either, and Geraghty had appeared slightly anxious aboard his mount as he fell a little off the pace set by Sam Waley-Cohen and Long Run.

Tony McCoy, a last-minute deputy for the injured Davy Russell, always kept Long Run in his sights aboard Sir Des Champs, while Silviniaco Conti was very much in the equation until he fell at the unforgiving downhill third-last.

By then, Bobs Worth was now starting to gather momentum and passed Long Run and Sir Des Champs approaching the final fence, with enough left in the tank to forge seven lengths clear.

“He’s just a true professional, and such a brave horse,” said Henderson. “Barry was trying to hang on to him as we know he comes up the hill, he has never been beaten on it.

“Bobs Worth hasn’t run since the Hennessy and Long Run hasn’t run since the King George, so it was all down to what we did at home and we did it as a team. I have to thank them all. They were brilliant.

“I was worried about the ground but they are two really brave horses and you just have to take what you get. You can’t take anything away from Long Run, Sam was going hammer and tongs with AP (McCoy) and he wasn’t intimidated.”

Unless Paul Nicholls has a phenomenal Grand National meeting, Henderson now surely will win the trainers’ title for the first time since 1987.

He and Geraghty also shared the joy of Sprinter Sacre’s immaculate Champion Chase victory. “When I started in 1978, I was very lucky as dad supported me, but to him I think he thought it was a very good way of blowing the family’s dosh,” he said.

“It all seems a long time ago now, and it’s tougher now than ever.

“At the beginning, I was post-Michael Dickinson (who trained the first five home in the Gold Cup 30 years ago) and pre-Martin Pipe and there were a couple of years when there was room for someone.

“We’ve had some better horses in the last couple of years and of course I’d like to win the title. It would be great to get it, and I don’t feel old. I’ve got a few years left.

“I’ve got the support of a fantastic team of people and the owners are the greatest mates. I can’t tell you how much it means to them.”

Geraghty, like all of his weighing room colleagues, had his thoughts with jockey JT McNamara, who suffered a very serious injury yesterday and who this afternoon underwemt surgery.

“I’d love to be happier,” he said. “All we can think about is John Thomas. We just hope and pray to God he’s OK.”

Referring to the race, he said: “I knew three out I had five or six lengths to find, but I thought I had a good chance. You have to be patient and keep nursing him because if you put the gun to his head you would be in trouble. You are working away in fourth gear and save fifth gear until you really need it. I put him into fifth approaching the last and went away with him.”

[Lester]

Mordin Race Report

PACE MADE THE RACE FOR BOBS WORTH

Sectional times show that the leaders went off a little too fast in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and this hurt the overall time.

There's a path just before the winning post and if you time the runners from when they reach this point you'll find they clocked 3m 10.06 second the first time around but slowed to 3m 16.73 on the second circuit.

In between the third and second last fences the race looked to concern SIR DES CHAMPS (35-pace adjusted 39) who was going a bit better than LONG RUN (35-pace adjusted 39) who was alongside, with the pair five lengths clear of the rest. Soon after though the over-fast early pace told and BOBS WORTH (37-pace adjusted 41) came through to catch the pair who both ended up really tired in the final 100 yards.

It's very hard to judge the pace on ground that's being made steadily softer by rain. So I don't think it's fair to criticise Tony McCoy and Sam Waley-Cohen for kicking for home too soon on the second and third. It's only with the benefit of hindsight and sectional times that it's possible to see the tactical error they made.

I liked the way Sir Des Champs showed such class to rally when desperately tired to come back and take second place after the winner had cut across him and forced him to switch when taking the lead. In a more evenly run race I'd be rather confident about betting Sir Des Champs to turn the form around.

However I can't take anything away from Bobs Worth. His rider Barry Geraghty shrewdly waited till the two leaders had battled each other into exhaustion before asking his mount for his big effort. The win means that Bobs Worth has now won all five times he's run at Cheltenham, including three Festival victories.

Long Run did really well to hold on for third seeing the pace he set. He hit a few fences but he always seems to do that and has never fallen. His record of reaching the first three in all 25 of his starts is outstanding. He may not be quite the horse he was a couple of seasons ago but is clearly still capable of winning at the top level.

THE GIANT BOLSTER (33-pace adjusted 37) did well to finish fourth on ground too soft for him. He has completed the course in six jumps races with 14 runners or less on ground where the going stick reading was 6.8 or higher. He won four of those six races. In one of the others he ran second in lat year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. When he encounters a faster surface he'll be a threat to win again.

CAPTAIN CHRIS (29-pace adjusted 33) jumped right repeatedly, as he does on left handed courses. But he ran a whole lot better than the last time he tried a long distance at Cheltenham. The next time he runs on a right handed track he'll be interesting.

SILVINIACO CONTI was a close third and still moving quite well when capsizing on landing three out. But my feeling was that he was just beginning to get stretched by the two leaders and would probably have tired more than them to finish around the same position The Giant Bolster ended up. His performance added to my doubts about his ability to last more than three miles or jump fences effectively in a field bigger than eight.