Business as usual for Sam

Sam Twiston-Davies insists he will treat the ride on Big Buck’s no differently to any other as the record-breaking staying hurdler makes his return from more than a year’s absence at Cheltenham today.

Trainer Paul Nicholls and owner Andy Stewart revealed earlier this month that Twiston-Davies, the rising star of the weighing room, would partner the 11-year-old in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle before they bid for an unprecedented fifth Ladbrokes World Hurdle back at the course in March.

Big Buck’s has been away for 420 days, missing the last Festival as he recovered from a tendon injury, and will have anything but a soft introduction with dual Long Walk winner Reve De Sivola, Willie Mullins’ Boston Bob and last season’s top novice At Fishers Cross among his five declared rivals.