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THE Cheltenham Gold Cup is the highlight of the Cheltenham Festival and the most prestigious Grade 1 chase in the UK. This year’s race features an intriguing clash between some rising stars and some heroes of the past.
Sir Des Champs, trained by Willie Mullins, has been a leading contender since winning the Jewson Novices’ Chase at the festival last season and has continued to progress throughout the season.
Bobs Worth won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his only start this season having landed the RSA Chase at last year's Festival. He is unbeaten in four starts at Cheltenham including two wins at the Festival; 2011 Albert Bartlett and 2012 RSA Chase. Anyway, his lack of a recent prep run could be seen as a negative factor.
Silviniaco Conti, closely matched with Bobs Worth on last season's Feltham novice chase form, is on a roll of a slightly different kind, having won his last three starts at Aintree, Wetherby and Haydock. At the last-named venue he beat Long Run with a bit to spare.
Long Run won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2011 and finished second, beaten 3 lengths, behind the ill-fated Synchronised last year. He was beaten 2½ lengths by Paul Nicholls’ 7-year-old Silviniaco Conti in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on this reappearance in November, but apparently improved on that form when rallying to beat Captain Chris by a neck in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Cape Tribulation has sprung into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture as a result of big wins on his last two starts, firstly in the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.
But it was his latest victory in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham, a recognised Gold Cup trial, which has established him as a real contender for this race.Furthermore, he won last year’s Pertemps Hurdle Final before following up at the Aintree Grand National meeting.
Captain Chris finished a neck behind Long Run in the King George VI Chase. He also finished second in the Ascot Chase and won the Grade 2 Amlin 1965 Chase in December. Captain Chris was also successful at the Cheltenham Festival two years ago in the Arkle Challenge Trophy, scoring stylishly from subsequent Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Finian’s Rainbow.
The Giant Bolster returns to the scene of his excellent second to Synchronised 12 months ago. His form has been below par since then but trainer David Bridgwater has not lost faith in him and expects a big run.
Mouse Morris-trained First Lieutenant has a record of just two wins in 11 chase starts, but that masks the fact he's still improving and is a real Cheltenham specialist, with his best runs having come at the track. The win came in the Neptune Novices' Hurdle two seasons ago, when he had the following year's Champion hurdler Rock On Ruby behind, and he was the only horse to make a race of it with Bobs Worth in last season’s RSA Chase, only giving way in the last 100 yards.
Sunnyhillboy has been back in action a couple of times over hurdles this term and trainer Jonjo O’Neill has revealed Sunnyhillboy, who won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, will be in perfect shape for this race.
Wayward Prince has lost his way last term when a fourth place in the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby represented his best performance. But since Parrott took over training the horse from Ian Williams he has bounced back to something like his best, and followed a fine second place to Silviniaco Conti in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby with victory at Aintree.
Bog Warrior, a Grade One novice chase winner for Tony Martin last season, and Mobeg Dude are simply outsiders considering the company.
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OK, I’ll have a go. Long Run at 5/1 with Bet365.
Here’s my guess Bob’s Worth 11/4 at Bet365
Silviniaco Conti @ 4/1 – I would think and I’d go as far as to say Bob’s worth second, Sir Des Champs 3rd. Don’t quote on the last two though! Conti will take it!
Long run in the 3.20 Cheltenham
Odds of 5-1 with bet365.
Long Run cheltenham 320. Odds of 5-1 with Bet 365
Sir des champs is a cert for the ist 3 even more confidant with mccoy bookd tho think its underhand whats wrong with sunnyhill boy nothin I expect irish maffia at work tho happy hes on it been backing it since last year happy days at 330 :-D
Sir De Champs 4/1
9/2 in hills now was 6s this morn
Cheltenham 15:20 – Bobs Worth to win at odds 3/1 at bet365.com
Bobs Worth – 3/1
I just can’t see past Bobs Worth @ 4.0
Silviniaco Conti @ 9/2
Bobs Worth 3/1
Capt chris 16/1
Well done Dean Mason!
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