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Bobs Worth is 8 years-old. He’s had 12 starts. He was 2nd on his debut in a bumper, since when he has been beaten just twice, at Kempton and Ascot – 2 races in a row during season 11/12, when NJH has always been adamant the horse was not right.
He’s unbeaten in 5 races at Cheltenham. He’s the first since Flyingbolt to win 3 different races at the Festival. He jumps, stays and has a dose of speed (he short headed Cue Card over 20f at Newbury). These facts alone prove him an exceptional horse.
He is with arguably the best Festival trainer of modern times.
The only potential downside from an ante-post viewpoint is that he does not appear to be the easiest horse to train. He ran just twice last season. In that 2011/12 season, after his RSA win, Henderson said:
"I wasn´t happy with him at any stage. It has been a torrid time with him. I thought we would never get him here. I´d be tempted to be leaving it alone now as it has been a struggle. He could come back as a really good horse next year."
I thought he looked a bit ring rusty in this year’s Gold Cup, and I’m pretty sure NJH will try and give him a slightly busier prep this time. I saw none of the 6/1 after his GC victory but took what I could of the 5/1 (some of the best ante-post value you will ever get is in the few minutes after the end of a Festival race when Bookie’s reps are under huge pressure to get their prices in front of the TV boys – I remember Betfred going 9s Denman for the GC after his RSA win).
I’ve continued backing him at 3s despite those slight reservations about training issues (I believe it was mostly the ground that kept him in his box last season). If he lines up, he should be no more than 6/4.
Excellent stuff.
Although several horses have won the Gold Cup without a run that calendar year, i think Bobs Worth was the first since Bregawn to win the Hennessy and the Gold Cup in the same season. RSA Chase, Hennessy and Gold Cup is an awesome achievement in twelve months.
Haydock might be an option but i wouldn’t be sending him to Newbury off top weight.
Didn’t that lesser known horse called Denman win the RSA, Hennessy and Gold Cup within 12 months too???? Denman also won the Lexus and the Aon chases between the Hennessy and Gold Cup too. They won the Hennessy off similar ratings too (Denman 161 to BW 160).
Interesting to see how Bobs runs at Haydock hope he runs well.
Yeah, what i meant was Hennessy and then Gold Cup without a race inbetween. I read that Bregawn had done similar although that may have been incorrect ?
Several horses have won the Gold Cup recently without a race that calendar year but they usually race late December prior to the Festival.I’ve had savers now on Cue Card and Al Ferof at 25s and 20s. J Tizzard says CC will not run again at 2 miles and they’re pretty confident he’ll stay a trip now. As I’ve said elsewhere, I expect to him to win the King George (still stunning value at 8s) and although a Ryanair follow-up is what the yard claim to be aiming at now, if he wins the KG, he’ll get an entry in the Gold Cup.
I’m wary of giving horses second chances after a long time off with injury, as I think that once that weakness has shown, especially in the legs, there’s always a chance of recurrence.
But he’s highly talented and should do better at 3m+ than at shorter. I wouldn’t risk much, but if he stays sound, he’ll be an awful lot shorter than 20s come Gold Cup day.
Absolutely agree about Cue Card and the King George. Last year the ground was far from ideal and his blunder at the start ended his chances of winning. I can see him blasting off in front this year and having them all at it turning in, I cant wait to see it, should be a great race.
I would agree that Bobs Worth is deffo not an easy horse to train this could be an advantage for this season however, he is very lightly raced still unlike other GC winners, which should help him here, cant see him being beat.
Invictus would be interesting though, have to see how he does at Newbury.
At the risk of sounding like a scratched record (for those who remember vinyl), Cue Card is much too big now for the Gold Cup at 9s. You can have 8s with Betvictor – cash back on NR as free bet.
He’s just outstayed the Gold Cup field, bar Sir Des Champs, and has finally found his trip. He’s only 7 and still improving. Yesterday he posted an RPR only 4lbs short of Kauto Star.
8/1 NRFB is a steal.
I was expecting 4-1 / 9-2 second favourite after Saturday. Might get his own way up front as most are hold up / tracking horses.
It is easy to get carried away I suppose. It seems very hasty to launch into a Gold Cup selection in late November after a fit horse outlasts some rusty stayers.
If 8-1 about Cue Card is ‘a steal’, 10-1 Silviniaco Conti is grand theft auto!
I think the Betfair was far more a trial for the King George rather than the Gold Cup itself. Cue Card ran out an impressive winner but everything went right for him in the jumping stakes and he did have the advantage of being race fit. For whatever reason last year’s Gold Cup winner who looked the standout opposition beforehand turned in a dismal performance.
Since winning his first four races and looking a potential superstar Cue Card has ‘only’ won 6 of his subsequent 15 races. Admitedly a couple of the defeats were to Sprinter Sacre but he has also been a beaten favourite on 5 occasions. Perhaps the Betfair was him turning the corner but he won’t be carrying my money in either the King George or the Gold Cup. I remain to be convinced by either his head carriage or jumping style and for me Joe Tizzard is forever an accident waiting to happen. There will be a good deal more pressure going off favourite for the King George rather than a weakish 9/1 shot for the Betfair.
With question marks over Bobs Worth at this stage I would be inclined towards Sir Des Champs and at a bigger price, Invictus.
Bobsworth is back in business, cracking performance today, rising ground was hit and off the champ went. 7/2 with Ladbrokes is very fair. None of today’s opponents will beat him at Cheltenham. SC the obvious danger, but I’m firmly with Bobs to retain his crown.
The Gold Cup picture has certainly been clarified in the last few days. Bobsworth and S Conti have established their claims, the rest are outsiders.
I’m having an ew on Rocky Creek. Often get a good priced placed horse in the race and PN says he’s going for the race [although won’t be such a good price due to trainer].
Now the Christmas trials are done and dusted the Gold Cup is looking at lot clearer.
Bobs Worth was clearly not himself at haydock, the stable was out of form and maybe he was not fully fit or hated the sticky ground, whatever he has now redeemed himself and the Lexus for me showed he was back to his best (on form lines with First Lieutenant) as he was going away at the finish.
I can see Silviniaco Conti making the frame but unless it’s a bog I see Bobs Worth’s turn off foot and the hill being too much.
First Lieutenant doesn’t win very often and is held on all form lines by Bobs Worth, he has beaten Siviniaco Conti which is another pointer to Bobs Worth.
I would say that Cue Card has the Champion Chase in the bag if SS fails to turn up and he is the best 2.5 mile chaser in the land aside from SS so for me he would be a certainty for the Ryanair. The stable may give him another try at 3 miles before Cheltenham but he is a risky betting proposition for the Gold Cup even if he runs as his running style leaves him open to attack from a finisher.
Sir Des Champs and Flemenstar are out for the season and nothing else on known form is good enough to win and barring a vast improving exceptionally talented sort coming out of the woodwork, Bobs Worth looks unbeatable.
I have backed Bobs Worth to all three Festival wins but for a horse who only manages to make the track a couple of times a year the current 9/4 is hardly a tempting carrot. Even with the lack of opposition he is likely to go off 7/4 on the day and because he is not a bridle horse he could easily be a bigger in-running price. Arkle aside, the Gold Cup is rarely a penalty kick.
Entries
Al Ferof
Arvika Ligeonniere
Bobs Worth
Bog Warrior
Boston Bob
Captain Chris
Champion Court
Cloudy Too
Cue Card
Dedigout
Dynaste
First Lieutenant
Harry Topper
Houblon Des Obeaux
Katenko
Knockara Beau
Last Instalment
Long Run
Lord Windermere
Lyreen Legend
Medermit (!!)
Monbeg Dude
Mount Benbulben
Rocky Creek
Roi du Mee
Silviniaco Conti
Teaforthree
The Giant Bolster
Theatre Guide
Tidal Bay
Time for Rupert
Triolo D’Alene
Unioniste
Vino Griego
Wayward PrinceFrom RP:
COLIN TIZZARD on Monday night gave the strongest indication yet that Cue Card will go for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in March rather than attempting a repeat success in the Ryanair Chase.
The trainer has been reluctant to pinpoint which race his stable star would line up in but declared that the eight-year-old, runner-up in the King George on Boxing Day, was "85 per cent likely" to step up in trip and tackle the Gold Cup.
Cue Card is currently a best-priced 8-1 behind Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti for the big prize in two month’s time, but is as short as 2-1 favourite for the Ryanair Chase over more than five furlongs shorter.
Tizzard said: "The ultimate aim for anyone owning a jumper has to be to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and, all things being equal, it’s 85 per cent likely that’s the way we’ll go as things stand."
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