Stewart hails Nicholls' big plan

Owner Andy Stewart has heaped praise on champion trainer Paul Nicholls after he masterminded the plan to switch Big Buck’s back to hurdles.

The six-year-old was well fancied for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his reappearance but after parting company with Sam Thomas at the final fence, Nicholls decided to send him back over the smaller obstacles.

It is a move which has paid dividends as the gelding has gone on to win twice, including when marking himself down as a serious contender for World Hurdle honours with victory over Punchestowns in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“He’s a horse who doesn’t do a great deal in front, he comes from behind and we were really pleased he managed to get up on Saturday,” said Stewart.

“When we first started with him we got it all wrong as we were running him over two miles at Newbury and we shouldn’t have run him in the handicap at Cheltenham last season.

“When we tried him over three miles at Aintree that was his trip and who knows what would have happened in the Hennessy if he hadn’t unseated Sam (Thomas), but we thought why don’t we go back to hurdling?

“I thought Paul had gone bonkers when he entered him in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and I didn’t think he would win that with the weight he had.

“But that’s why he’s the champion trainer and I’m just an owner.

“We think he could still be improving but who knows? We are just keeping our fingers crossed he continues to go the right way.”