RACING/WORLD HURDLE PREVIEW: TO GET a proper grasp of Big Buck's and his winning streak over hurdles it is necessary to leave the species entirely because most horses come as close to a peak-form Big Buck's as today's opposition are likely to in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.
Ed Moses knew a thing about jumping hurdles and remaining unbeaten. The legendary American athlete famously went 107 races unbeaten over almost 10 years.
In bare statistics, Big Buck’s and his unbeaten run of 15 races over more than three years doesn’t measure up to that. But then look at the mileage. Ed ran 400 metres. Big Buck’s runs three miles-plus. The 400 might be a heartbreaker in track and field terms but Big Buck’s bows to no one in terms of resolution.
If he makes it 16-in-a-row today then the Paul Nicholls-trained star will have carved out a unique status for himself in National Hunt racing.
Only Inglis Drever won three editions of the stayers’ crown as well and he didn’t do it three years in a row like Big Buck’s did.
Making it four will put a seal on the French bred’s status as probably the ultimate stayer this particular branch of the sport has seen.
“You’d have to say Big Buck’s is my banker of the meeting as he’s such a brilliant horse and I think he looks better in his coat than ever,” Nicholls said yesterday.
What could be a negative factor is Nicholls’ admission earlier in the week that he worries all may not be completely right with his main yard at Ditcheat after a recent bug.
Significantly the Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby is housed in a separate yard that wasn’t affected. However, confidence was still riding high amongst the Nicholls team yesterday.
Winning streaks can do that.
Ranged against Big Buck’s today will be a likely five-strong Irish challenge that includes four hopes from Willie Mullins.
They include a champion in his own right in Thousand Stars who proved his credentials for the trip with a fine success in the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil last June.
Since then he has been mostly playing second fiddle to Hurricane Fly in the Mullins pecking order but proved his versatility with a Grade One Morgiana victory earlier this season.
The admirable grey is joined by So Young, Mourad and Mikael D’Haguenet, while Voler La Vedette is the latest star Irish mare to try and hit the festival winner’s enclosure.
Most expectations, however, centre on Oscar Whisky presenting the biggest challenge to Big Buck’s today.
Last year’s Champion Hurdle third subsequently landed the Aintree Hurdle and has looked outstanding over two and a half miles so far this season. But three miles is a different kettle of fish. Plenty confident expectations about unproven horses at three miles have been blown out of the water. And none of them had to factor in beating Big Buck’s too.
“I have a feeling Oscar Whisky could be our toughest opponent to date,” Nicholls admitted yesterday. “But he’s going to have to be very good to beat Big Buck’s – and stay very well.”
The combination of stamina and jumping hurdles is a unique discipline and one that Big Buck’s has proved a master of.
Winning streaks do invariably come to an end. Ed Moses eventually lost to a guy called Danny Harris in 1987. Big Buck’s will get beaten sometime soon. But it could be unwise to bet on it happening today.
Brian's trio
First
BIG BUCK’S
Second
OSCAR WHISKY
Third
SO YOUNG
