Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth has returned to his best with a battling win at Leopardstown to renew hopes of another Cheltenham win.

Bobs Worth put himself bang in contention for his Gold Cup title defence at Cheltenham in March with a typically gutsy display to reel in First Lieutenant and front runner Rubi Ball after the last fence.

For trainer Nicky Henderson, who earlier had picked up a top novice hurdle at Newbury, the win came as a timely boost after the irregular heart scare suffered by his other outstanding chaser, Sprinter Sacre, 24 hours earlier at Kempton.

Bobs Worth, who disappointed on his seasonal debut in the Betfair Chase in November, was sent off 11-4 favourite for Saturday's Grade One chase at Leopardstown near Dublin.

Sir Des Champs, the other joint favourite and trained by Irish jumps master Willie Mullins, had every chance but was unable to keep company with the three principals from the turn for home.

Bobs Worth leapt to the head of the Gold Cup pre-post betting at 5-2 on the strength of his win with Silviniaco Conti, winner of Thursday's King George VI Chase, next best at 4-1.

"It's only five or six weeks since he got thumped into the ground at Kempton, so to come back from that is great," Henderson said.