World-class Buck’s
Walsh, most unusually, lost his whip well before the final flight and blessed himself in relief as Big Buck’s powered across the line in front of Grands Crus.
For many Big Buck’s and Quevega were the so-called bankers of the meeting and, if losing his whip had cost the first named an historic three-in-row in this race, then Walsh would have been a hard man to console.
Indeed, he told me later in the afternoon: “If Big Buck’s had been beaten there would only have been one person to blame and that was me.’
In any case there was no harm done and Big Buck’s thus became the first horse to win the World hurdle three years running. Inglis Drever also took the contest three times, but they weren’t consecutively.
There is nearly always huge pace in races at the festival, but this World Hurdle, rather strangely, was almost funerial.
You could almost sense Walsh’s brain working overtime and he quickly had Big Buck’s close to the front, out of trouble and ready to strike when the time was right.
Big Buck’s was cantering, doing half-speed, downhill to the straight and soon Walsh allowed himself a quick glance behind to calculate just how those closest to him were travelling.
He’d seen enough and immediately got to work, driving Big Buck’s for all he was worth. A long way before the last, however, his whip went flying and, by now, market-rival, Grands Crus, had emerged as a major danger.
Coming away from the flight Grands Crus had closed Big Buck’s right down and, for a few strides, those who had lumped on the warm favourite had cause for concern.
A whipless Walsh now kicked and cajoled, urging Big Buck’s to do more. He had a willing partner and one of the greatest stayers of all time responded generously and was nicely on top at the line.
After the race was over, Walsh could see the funny side. He joked: “I threw it away to keep McCririck (he wants whips banned) happy.
“He is a seriously good hurdler and as close to unbeatable as you could get in a National Hunt horse.
“He’s an aeroplane. What a bad mistake it was to drop my whip. It was my own fault, because I was trying to figure out where they were behind me and only half-watching what I was doing.
“Grands Crus looked the one we had to beat and Mourad has done nothing wrong all winter, but Big Buck’s sets the standard.
“He as his quirks and it is not normal for a horse to box-walk (walk in circles around his stable). He goes round and round, but is not hyper!
“He has matured mentally and is a lot easier than in the past. He has such a huge engine that you can make a schoolboy error and lose your whip in a Grade 1 and he is still able to get you out of trouble.”
Reflecting on the way the race developed, Walsh said: “When they came up behind me at the top of the hill Big Buck’s came right on the bridle.
“He is a wonderful, wonderful horse, with a great turn of foot. We got a great reception and the Cheltenham crowd aren’t just punters they are racegoers. They knew exactly what they were after seeing.”
Nicholls was ecstatic, as Walsh and Big Bucks’ returned in triumph. Beaming from ear to ear, he said: “I’m proud of the whole team and especially of Ruby for getting back from injury and riding so well this week.
“It’s not as if everything was in Big Buck’s favour, they didn’t go a good gallop and the ground was a bit quicker than he likes.
“But Ruby knows him better than anyone and maintained Big Buck’s was the one to beat. Big Buck’s most have known today was his day.
“When Clifford Baker (head lad) went to feed him this morning the horse wasn’t box walking, he was galloping around his box.
“He’s just a funny character and has been like that since we got him. We have to manage him, he’s like a big kid.
“The crowd appreciate him and they cheered from the moment he pulled up. It’s awesome for the horse, awesome for racing and it is hard to explain what that it feels like for me, his trainer.”
Walsh is now long odds-on to be the leading rider at the meeting. His current total is four, two in front of Richard Johnson, Andrew Lynch, Davy Russell and Tony McCoy, and his overall tally at the Cheltenham festival is a whopping 31. Ladbrokes quote Big Buck’s at a ridiculous evens to win again next year.
* Davy Russell, who partnered Powerstation, was suspended for three days, having been found guilty of careless riding.
