Liverpool Hurdle Result: Big Buck's wins again

News / Timeform / 12 April 2012 / Leave a Comment

Connections of Big Buck's were rewarded yet again at Aintree

"The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles in England..."

Big Buck's created history in the BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree by winning his 17th successive race, breaking the modern-day jumps total of Sir Ken...

The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles in England, winning this Grade One event for the fourth time.

Having also won the last four renewals of the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, the Andy Stewart-owned gelding rewarded punters who took the ([1.24]) available on Betfair about the favourite.

Ruby Walsh settled the superstar in third position and he travelled well through the early stages.

When Restless Harry fell early on the second circuit and brought down Won In The Dark, followed by the fall of Smad Place, his task was made easier, should he have needed it.

Crack Away Jack travelled well to challenge but failed like so many before him and eventually trailed in well beaten in second.

said: "He seemed to be idling a little in front. Alan King's horse (Smad Place) was right behind us until unfortunately he came to grief. I was glad to see them all get up.

"We take every race as it comes and we are totally flattered by the reception he has been given by everyone here. He hasn't had an off-day since unseating in the Hennessy a few years ago.

"Undoubtedly (this win means the most), this is absolutely marvellous.

"Each win is very precious, but obviously to do 17 and go into the record books is very precious to us.

"It's been very flattering. People have been coming up for my autograph - he's more newsworthy than I am, but it's a privilege.

"Next year he'll go for the same programme and the Cleeve Hurdle as well."

Big Buck's remains around the ([2.64]) mark on Betfair for next year's World Hurdle where he will bid to land his fifth Cheltenham victory.

Get open access to Timeform data, including detailed cards for this week's Grand National meeting at Aintree, for just £2.50 a day with Timeform Race Passes.

It is hard to imagine champion trainer Gai Waterhouse has never won the Group 1 Australian Derby (Saturday, BST 06:35) on her home turf at Randwick, but that could all change this afternoon......

Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Synchronised heads a maximum field of 40 for the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday......

We caught up with Donald McCain last week to discuss his runners and riders at this week's Aintree festival...

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Paul Nicholls: Kauto works with Big Buck's during recovery

/ Paul Nicholls / 07 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Kauto pleased Paul and Clifford today

"Kauto did everything the other Festival horses did today."

Gold Cup second favourite completes the same work as Cheltenham-bound stablemates

Nothing major to report today but we are, thankfully, still heading in the right direction.

He once again had his physio and his hour on the walker.

And then he had a half-speed 10f canter with Big Buck's and then a canter up the hill with him, too.

In fact, all my Cheltenham horses did the same routine - so Kauto did everything the other Festival horses did today.

Clifford is still smiling and at one point I thought he was going to do Kauto's box roll for him!

Gold Cup second favourite completes the same work as Cheltenham-bound stablemates...

Another big announcement from Paul Nicholls this morning......

More good news from Ditcheat, as Paul Nicholls announces a change of plan for Kauto Star this Friday. He also explains why it's important not to get too excited just yet......

The Imperial Cup is the racing highlight on the weekend before Cheltenham and Nicholls could be double-handed for the competitive handicap hurdle......

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World Hurdle: Voler La Vedette in line for Big Buck's showdown

News / Timeform / 13 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Can Voler La Vedette serve it up to Big Buck's?

""It's more than likely she'll go for the World Hurdle, not the (David Nicholson) Mares' Hurdle."

Voler La Vedette is to head for the World Hurdle at Cheltenham without another racecourse appearance.

Connections of the eight-year-old mare, who has a Timeform master rating 23 lb inferior to that of Big Buck's, have decided against giving her a prep run in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, which she won 12 months ago.

Many would have thought Voler La Vedette was heading toward a Festival clash with Quevega in the Mares' Hurdle (she currently trades as [4.4] second favourite), but trainer Colm Murphy outlined the plan after speaking to the horse' owners.

"I've had a chat with the owners and we've decided she won't run at the weekend. She'll go straight to Cheltenham for the World Hurdle," said Murphy.

"We'll just keep her ticking over now. She seems in great form and I'm very happy with her.

"It's more than likely she'll go for the World Hurdle, not the (David Nicholson) Mares' Hurdle."

Voler La Vedette has enjoyed a successful campaign so far, winning her first three races of the winter, including the Grade 1 Hatton's Grace Hurdle (in which she equalled her highest Timeform figure of 153) before suffering defeat against Zaidpour in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park last month.

Voler La Vedette is currently trading at [110.0] for the World Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Prix de 'Arc de Triomphe winner Danedream is likely to start off her season with a run at home in late spring before trainer Peter Schiergen plots serious European targets......

Sponsors Betfair have made entry to Newbury's rescheduled meeting on Friday free to all racegoers......

French-bred Quel Esprit gave Willie Mullins his eighth Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup success when making all under Ruby Walsh in the Leopardstown showpiece on Sunday....

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Handicappers' Corner: Big Buck's vs Hurricane Fly

The Cheltenham Festival / Phil Turner / 30 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Big Buck's vs Hurricane Fly would be a match to savour.

"As the ratings imply, Big Buck's would just get our vote, particularly as he looked every bit as good as ever when stretching his unbeaten record to fifteen..."

Racing For Change's main aim is to "broaden the appeal of the sport". The scheme's decision-makers could do a lot worse than put the feelers out to stage a match between the two outstanding hurdlers of the moment, argues Timeform jumps handicapper Phil Turner...

Both Hurricane Fly (Timeform rating h174) and Big Buck's (h176+) enhanced their reputations with imperious displays this weekend and, should they retain their respective Champion Hurdle and World Hurdle crowns as expected at the Cheltenham Festival in March, a mouth-watering clash between the pair would surely be what most racing fans would wish for before the season is out.

Indeed, history is littered with examples of how you cannot beat a good head-to-head to broaden interest in a sport. For example, worldwide news bulletins were dominated by chess (yes CHESS!) during the summer of 1972 as the much-anticipated world championship match between maverick young American Bobby Fischer and reigning champion Boris Spassky took place, with the former striking a blow for the Western World at the height of the Cold War as he wrested the title away from the Soviet Union for the first time in twenty-five years.

Some twelve months later, the American public were gripped by another high-profile sports talking point when retired tennis pro Bobby Riggs challenged the two leading female players of the day, Margaret Court and Billie-Jean King, to a "Battle of The Sexes" contest in a chauvinistic attempt to expose the weakness of the women's game. Fifty-five-year-old Riggs defeated Court 6-2 6-1, but then lost to King 4-6 3-6 3-6 in a match which was televised live nationally.

A closer example to any proposed Hurricane Fly-Big Buck's match came in 1997 when the reigning 100m and 200m Olympic champions, Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson, met in a specially staged 150m race (75m curve and 75m straight) to decide who was the "World's Fastest Man". Unfortunately the race proved to be something of a damp squib, with Johnson pulling up "injured" once clearly held by Bailey.

A similar scenario befell "The Great International Race" at Belmont Park in 1923 between Zev and Papyrus, winners of that year's Kentucky Derby and Epsom Derby respectively, which proved a disappointingly one-sided affair due to the British raider failing to handle the unfamiliar dirt underfoot conditions.

Matches in horse-racing can work, however. An estimated forty million radio listeners tuned in to hear commentary of the "Match of The Century" between Seabiscuit and War Admiral at Pimlico in 1938, the events of which proved the centrepiece of a best-selling book and hit movie early in the 21st Century. Meanwhile, there was also huge interest in National Hunt's finest match to date, which came at the Punchestown Festival in 1986 when Irish racing authorities stumped up the bulk of a sizeable pot to attract a clash between that year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Dawn Run and Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Buck House.

Dawn Run won that particular "Battle of The Sexes" despite eschewing her usual mares' allowance to race at level weights and also dropping down to two miles. No such gimmicks would be required for any Hurricane Fly-Big Buck's clash, with the intermediate trip of two-and-a-half miles surely a fair compromise for both. So who would win?

As the ratings imply, Big Buck's would just get our vote, particularly as he looked every bit as good as ever when stretching his unbeaten record to fifteen with a seven-length defeat of Dynaste (h160) at Cheltenham on Saturday. If anything, though, Hurricane Fly was even more impressive when making light of rain-drenched conditions to beat Oscars Well (h164) by a cosy six-and-a-half lengths in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown twenty-four hours later, his performance all the more meritorious given it came after months of rumours and speculation as to his well-being. Perhaps the most pertinent question should any such match materialise is which of the pair would their regular pilot Ruby Walsh choose?

Unfortunately, one clash which won't be taking place (at Cheltenham at least) in the near future is that of Flemenstar (c153p) against the leading British-trained two-mile chasers Al Ferof (c161), Sprinter Sacre (154p), Cue Card (c154) and Peddlers Cross (c150p).

Flemenstar simply hasn't looked back since finishing runner-up to Bog Warrior (c154) on his chasing debut back in the autumn and confirmed himself a top-class prospect with a runaway win in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown on Sunday, but he'll reportedly be kept to Irish soil for the time being due to concerns about him being a bad traveller.

There are no such fears with regards to Boston Bob (h154p), who'll take plenty of beating in either the Neptune Novices' Hurdle or the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham - indeed, Fingal Bay (h156p) is the only novice so far in 2011/12 to have bettered the form Boston Bob showed when winning a Grade 2 at Leopardstown on Sunday. He certainly makes more appeal at this stage than Batonnier (h135p), who showed a likeable attitude to win another Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham's Trials Day, yet will need to improve if he's to have place claims at the Festival.

Meanwhile, almost identical comments apply to Saturday's big race winner Midnight Chase (c162), who bounced back to his best to record a fifth Cheltenham success in the Argento Chase, but his two-and-a-quarter length defeat of the quirky Tidal Bay (c160$) is unlikely to have connections of Long Run (c182) or Kauto Star (c181) losing any sleep.

The Alan King-trained Montbazon got back to winning ways at Plumpton on Monday......

Diamond Harry will be checked out for a possible breathing problem after his run at Cheltenham on Saturday......

Henrietta Knight is leaving a decision on Somersby's Cheltenham target until as late as possible because of the unpredictability of the British weather......

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Handicappers' Corner: Big Buck's vs Hurricane Fly

The Cheltenham Festival / Phil Turner / 30 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Big Buck's vs Hurricane Fly would be a match to savour.

"As the ratings imply, Big Buck's would just get our vote, particularly as he looked every bit as good as ever when stretching his unbeaten record to fifteen..."

Racing For Change's main aim is to "broaden the appeal of the sport". The scheme's decision-makers could do a lot worse than put the feelers out to stage a match between the two outstanding hurdlers of the moment, argues Timeform jumps handicapper Phil Turner...

Both Hurricane Fly (Timeform rating h174) and Big Buck's (h176+) enhanced their reputations with imperious displays this weekend and, should they retain their respective Champion Hurdle and World Hurdle crowns as expected at the Cheltenham Festival in March, a mouth-watering clash between the pair would surely be what most racing fans would wish for before the season is out.

Indeed, history is littered with examples of how you cannot beat a good head-to-head to broaden interest in a sport. For example, worldwide news bulletins were dominated by chess (yes CHESS!) during the summer of 1972 as the much-anticipated world championship match between maverick young American Bobby Fischer and reigning champion Boris Spassky took place, with the former striking a blow for the Western World at the height of the Cold War as he wrested the title away from the Soviet Union for the first time in twenty-five years.

Some twelve months later, the American public were gripped by another high-profile sports talking point when retired tennis pro Bobby Riggs challenged the two leading female players of the day, Margaret Court and Billie-Jean King, to a "Battle of The Sexes" contest in a chauvinistic attempt to expose the weakness of the women's game. Fifty-five-year-old Riggs defeated Court 6-2 6-1, but then lost to King 4-6 3-6 3-6 in a match which was televised live nationally.

A closer example to any proposed Hurricane Fly-Big Buck's match came in 1997 when the reigning 100m and 200m Olympic champions, Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson, met in a specially staged 150m race (75m curve and 75m straight) to decide who was the "World's Fastest Man". Unfortunately the race proved to be something of a damp squib, with Johnson pulling up "injured" once clearly held by Bailey.

A similar scenario befell "The Great International Race" at Belmont Park in 1923 between Zev and Papyrus, winners of that year's Kentucky Derby and Epsom Derby respectively, which proved a disappointingly one-sided affair due to the British raider failing to handle the unfamiliar dirt underfoot conditions.

Matches in horse-racing can work, however. An estimated forty million radio listeners tuned in to hear commentary of the "Match of The Century" between Seabiscuit and War Admiral at Pimlico in 1938, the events of which proved the centrepiece of a best-selling book and hit movie early in the 21st Century. Meanwhile, there was also huge interest in National Hunt's finest match to date, which came at the Punchestown Festival in 1986 when Irish racing authorities stumped up the bulk of a sizeable pot to attract a clash between that year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Dawn Run and Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Buck House.

Dawn Run won that particular "Battle of The Sexes" despite eschewing her usual mares' allowance to race at level weights and also dropping down to two miles. No such gimmicks would be required for any Hurricane Fly-Big Buck's clash, with the intermediate trip of two-and-a-half miles surely a fair compromise for both. So who would win?

As the ratings imply, Big Buck's would just get our vote, particularly as he looked every bit as good as ever when stretching his unbeaten record to fifteen with a seven-length defeat of Dynaste (h160) at Cheltenham on Saturday. If anything, though, Hurricane Fly was even more impressive when making light of rain-drenched conditions to beat Oscars Well (h164) by a cosy six-and-a-half lengths in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown twenty-four hours later, his performance all the more meritorious given it came after months of rumours and speculation as to his well-being. Perhaps the most pertinent question should any such match materialise is which of the pair would their regular pilot Ruby Walsh choose?

Unfortunately, one clash which won't be taking place (at Cheltenham at least) in the near future is that of Flemenstar (c153p) against the leading British-trained two-mile chasers Al Ferof (c161), Sprinter Sacre (154p), Cue Card (c154) and Peddlers Cross (c150p).

Flemenstar simply hasn't looked back since finishing runner-up to Bog Warrior (c154) on his chasing debut back in the autumn and confirmed himself a top-class prospect with a runaway win in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown on Sunday, but he'll reportedly be kept to Irish soil for the time being due to concerns about him being a bad traveller.

There are no such fears with regards to Boston Bob (h154p), who'll take plenty of beating in either the Neptune Novices' Hurdle or the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham - indeed, Fingal Bay (h156p) is the only novice so far in 2011/12 to have bettered the form Boston Bob showed when winning a Grade 2 at Leopardstown on Sunday. He certainly makes more appeal at this stage than Batonnier (h135p), who showed a likeable attitude to win another Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham's Trials Day, yet will need to improve if he's to have place claims at the Festival.

Meanwhile, almost identical comments apply to Saturday's big race winner Midnight Chase (c162), who bounced back to his best to record a fifth Cheltenham success in the Argento Chase, but his two-and-a-quarter length defeat of the quirky Tidal Bay (c160$) is unlikely to have connections of Long Run (c182) or Kauto Star (c181) losing any sleep.

The Alan King-trained Montbazon got back to winning ways at Plumpton on Monday......

Diamond Harry will be checked out for a possible breathing problem after his run at Cheltenham on Saturday......

Henrietta Knight is leaving a decision on Somersby's Cheltenham target until as late as possible because of the unpredictability of the British weather......

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Cheltenham 2011: Big Buck's and Grand Crus in battle for the World

Cheltenham Races / Alex Steedman / 04 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

That grey blur is World Hurdle contender Grand Crus

"This looks a race to take an in-running view: If Grand Crus is in front for any length of time I’d favour Big Buck’s but if young Scu can somehow delay Grand Crus’ explosive late burst then we could have a new champion."

The World Hurdle is a two horse battle but will first place go to the reigning champ or the new contender? It may all come down to tactics, says Alex Steedman

Sporting history is liberally sprinkled with rivalries where the efforts of both provide the spur towards greatness. Borg was Borg but more because of McEnroe while Sugar Ray Leonard earned his name and fortune on the backs of Hagler, Hearns and Duran.

Poor old Big Buck's has been walking his box dreaming about such challenges but having looked a one horse race for more than a year, the World Hurdle is suddenly an interesting match at least.

Grand Crus' ([3.75]) left-field slash through the ranks has been one of the season's highlights so far and an exhibition in old school secrecy from the Pipe camp. How they managed to contain themselves throughout the summer knowing that the best handicapped horse in training was stabled within their walls was a job in itself. But having witnessed the celebrations in the paddock at Cheltenham in November believe me, for them, it was worth the wait. There were other owners attached to the yard dancing with calculators twitching in their sparkling eyes; they absolutely chopped the lot off.

It's almost ludicrous to consider that Grand Crus delivered that day from a mark of 126 and having bolted up at Haydock a week later, then in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle on trials day, the grey is now a whopping 43lbs higher in the handicap, only 5lbs below Big Buck's. With the promise of even more to come he is a worthy challenger for the title and this is a bout in line with the greats.

The supporting cast is not of the calibre of Hearns or Hagler but Irish raiders and stable mates Mourad and Fiveforthree are of interest. Mourad ([15.5]) has only twice finished outside the money in the UK and Ireland and heads for Cheltenham bouncing on the back of successive Grade 2 wins.

His effort in the Hatton's Grace behind Hurricane Fly suggests he has Grade 1 potential, particularly given he is only six and it's worth remembering he was third to Zaynar in the Triumph two years ago. He has chances at around [3.15] in the place market but there are half a dozen horses squabbling over that slot.

Fiveforthree ([18.0] to win) is a mini marvel given his inactivity in recent years but with five wins from eight hurdle starts, he knows how to win. Beating 13-year-old Newmill on his comeback told us little beyond his wellbeing. Nevertheless, he has Grade 1 form in the book and having won the Ballymore on the back of finishing fifth in the Bumper, he has that crucial festival experience. He is (4.4) for a place.

In truth though, this race is all about Big Buck's against Grand Crus and the spectacle of the challenge. Big Buck's has won ten consecutive hurdle races since unseating in the Hennessy more than two years ago. He's amassed three quarters of a million pounds in prize money, two World Hurdles and an army of fans along the way. He's seen off threatening young guns Punchestowns and RSA favourite Time for Rupert at the last two festivals and probably can't wait to eyeball Grand Crus.

There is the tantalising prospect of this pair recording hitherto unseen Timeform figures and the way the race unfolds will be fascinating for the in-running players.

When Punchestowns failed to deny Big Buck's' two years ago I came away with the feeling that the Nicholls horse might just be vulnerable to a surge of well-timed, late acceleration and there is no doubt that Grand Crus has that in his arsenal. He is a sharper, faster hurdler than Big Buck's and, I think, a quicker horse too. But with the Big B there is the sense that there is so much more under the bonnet.

Paul Nicholls' French buyer Anthony Bromley told me that having worked Big Buck's recently, Ruby Walsh jumped off and said, without a trace of irony; "can we supplement him for the Gold Cup after he's won the World Hurdle?" Confidence in the champ is very, very high.

Still, I think tactics will play a final, decisive role. On trials day Tom Scudamore told Cheltenham and Timeform Radio listeners; "I'll go down to Pond House the week before Cheltenham and go through the videos with David and work it out. I certainly wouldn't be worried though about setting the race up for Big Buck's."

I'm not so sure and I wouldn't be surprised to see Grand Crus squared away at the back of the field until absolutely necessary. But he is a keen going, strong traveller and how easy that will be is another thing again. There is perhaps an onus on him too and there is the doubt about how effective he will be on better ground.

This looks a race to take an in-running view: If Grand Crus is in front for any length of time I'd favour Big Buck's but if young Scu can somehow delay Grand Crus' explosive late burst then we could have a new champion.

Either way, it may be a match they'll be talking about in years to come.

Timeform's Phil Turner joins Alan Dudman to discuss the Arkle, the Jewson and the RSA Chase....

Timeform's Dan Barber joins Alan Dudman to discuss the two Championship hurdling events at the Festival, the Champion Hurdle and the World Hurdle....

Timeform's Simon Walker joins Alan Dudman to discuss the three open Grade 1 chases at this year's Festival....

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Festival Trials Weekend Review: Can Grands Crus topple Big Buck's?

Results & Reviews / Timeform / 31 January 2011 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet View Market

Grands Crus pulls a long way clear of Knockara Beau

Timeform look back over the major talking points to emerge from Trials day at Cheltenham...

"The bare form Grands Crus achieved in beating Knockara Beau 10 lengths is not a great deal better than he achieved in a handicap the time before, but the really exciting thing about him is the promise of how much more there is still to come"

Festival Trials day at Cheltenham on Saturday certainly lived up to its billing, producing several performances that are sure to have implications for the big one in March. The undoubted star was Grands Crus, who laid down his claims as a more-than-credible challenger to Big Buck's in the World Hurdle when destroying the field in the three-mile Cleeve Hurdle. The bare form Grands Crus achieved in beating Knockara Beau 10 lengths is not a great deal better than he achieved in a handicap the time before, but the really exciting thing about him is the promise of how much more there is still to come. On Timeform ratings, Grands Crus is rated just 2 lb below Big Buck's, with a 'p' on his rating signifying the likelihood of further improvement.

In terms of having implications on the Festival, the day's next most significant race was the two-and-a-half mile Classic Novices' Hurdle, which was won by the Nicky Henderson-trained Bobs Worth. In beating Rock On Ruby by two and a quarter lengths, Bobs Worth ran to a level of form more or less on a par with what most Baring Bingham winners achieve, and he is rightly now the favourite for that race. The runner-up Rock On Ruby shaped almost as well as the winner and will certainly be worth his place in a Grade 1 at the Festival. The disappointment of the race was Backspin, whose below-form fourth resulted in his displacement at the head of the ante-post market for the Baring Bingham.

The day's most valuable event was the Grade 2 Argento (Cotswold) Chase over three and a quarter miles. The race has tended to be a Gold Cup trial in name only in recent seasons, and this year's renewal is unlikely to buck that trend. Nevertheless, Neptune Collonges produced a high-class performance, returning to something like his best, in beating the mercurial Tidal Bay by a length and a quarter. While anything more than a minor placing will likely prove beyond Neptune Collonges in the Gold Cup, he is reportedly under consideration for the Grand National, and appeals as the type to take to the unique demands of that race. The disappointment of the race was Punchestowns, who is yet to approach his top-class hurdles form as a chaser, not finding much having made mistakes on Saturday.

Elsewhere on the card at Cheltenham, Local Hero maintained his unbeaten record over timber in the Triumph Hurdle Trial, putting himself firmly in the picture for the main event at the Festival, while Philip Hobbs's novice chaser Wishfull Thinking put up a much improved performance to win the valuable Murphy Group Handicap, in so doing confirming himself a leading contender for the new Jewson Novices' Chase at the Festival.

Sunday's most interesting racing took place at Punchestown, where the highlight was a five-timer for Willie Mullins. The best of those five winners was Golden Silver, who upset hot favourite and reigning Champion Chaser Big Zeb in the Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase. It is worth remembering that Golden Silver has disappointed both times he has run at Cheltenham, but the level of form he achieved at Punchestown puts him right in the mix for the Champion Chase. Big Zeb met with his first defeat since last season's Tingle Creek, but ran creditably all the same and probably didn't do his Champion Chase prospects too much harm, arguably hitting the front soon enough as Paul Townend delivered Golden Silver with a perfectly judged challenge to lead close home.

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