Bobs Worth all set for the Hennessy challenge after the trainer, Henderson, takes a stroll
What kept the hallmark trainer, Nicky Henderson, from deciding his representation in the Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup, got sorted to quite an extent after he took a stroll at Newbury. The ground conditions
which seemed unfavourble for his RSA champion, Bobs Worth, proved alike for his other hopeful, Roberto Goldback, who is highly likely to be withdrawn from the line-up.
The ground is generally soft, but is also heavy in places, and those elements make the outcome uncertain to quite an extent. The big challenge will prove out to be the start-off for the campaign for Bobs Worth.
Last time, during the National Hunt season, Bob Back’s seven-year-old bay gelding won at Cheltenham and qualified as a decent runner-up at Ascot race course.
The Irish bay gelding has been pairing up with jockey, Barry Geraghty, for quite a long while now and it was the same partnership that got them winning the title of the Grade 1 RSA Chase on 14th
March, 2012 at Cheltenham race course over three miles and half a furlong. The duo defeated M. F. Morris trained, First Lieutenant, by 2 ½ lengths.
First Lieutenant’s participation in the same race will get confirmed by the trainer somewhere during this week. Clash between the two would be something that all would really enjoy.
"I have spoken to Malcolm Kimmins, who heads up the owners' syndicate and the gut feeling is we probably will run, all things being equal. I put out a warning this morning because I wanted there to be one.
I'm not comfortable about it, I'm not convinced he goes in it and Barry [Geraghty] is not sure but we are a bit short on alternatives.
"Roberto Goldback is almost certain to run in the two-and-a-half-mile race on Friday. I think he wants good ground, not a slog in a bog. It's going to be very testing."
This is what the steeplechase and the hurdle season bring each season around, high levels of uncertainty, tricky ground conditions coupled with the excitement about the chances of the favourites in the field
making through all odds, and when they eventually do win after a mere two minutes of racing, the pride of the connections is worth witnessing.
Nicky Henderson has taken just the same risk and there will not be a prouder trainer when Bobs Worth eases through the wire despite the testing conditions.
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