The 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored
by Betfred, featured nine runners and was won, in convincing style,
by Bobs Worth, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Barry
Geraghty. In so doing, the 11/4 favourite was completing a notable
Cheltenham Festival treble, having won the Albert Bartlett Novices’
Hurdle in 2011 and the RSA Chase in 2012.
Bobs Worth ran just twice during the
2012/13 season, readily accounting for Tidal Bay by 3¼ lengths in
the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance in
December before lining up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup 104 days later.
His main opposition came from stable companion, and King George VI
Chase winner, Long Run, who started 7/2 second favourite, and Betfair
Chase winner Silviniaco Conti and Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner Sir
Des Champs, who were sent off at 4/1 joint third favourites.
Early on the second circuit, Long Run
was in the lead, jumping well, although hotly pursued by Sir Des
Champs in a close second. Silviniaco Conti fell at the third last,
when still travelling well and, in so doing, hampered Bobs Worth, who
was 8 lengths down at that point. Briefly, it appeared that Long Run
and Sir Des Champs may have the race between them, but Bobs Worth
came with a strong run approaching the second last, jumped the final
fence in front and powered clear on the run-in to beat Sir Des Champs
by 7 lengths, with Long Run a further 2¾ lengths in third.
Winning trainer Nicky Henderson had
always expressed his concern that Bobs Worth would be better on good
going, rather than the prevailing soft going. That sentiment was
echoed by a nonetheless delighted Barry Geraghty, who said of Bobs
Worth, “He’s a great attitude, he struggled on the ground but he
kept fighting. I was hunting and I knew coming into the second last I
would win. He's as game as a lion and he loves the job.”
Hailed by Henderson as “amazing, an
absolute legend”, Bobs Worth was retired from racing in 2016 and
has since enjoyed a happy retirement with Tracy Vigors at Hillwood
Stud.
