World-class Buck’s

Ruby Walsh drove Big Buck’s to victory in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle at sun-kissed Cheltenham yesterday and then exclaimed “St Patrick must have been looking down on me”.

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.