BIG BUCK’S is now a real contender for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Festival after winning on his hurdling debut for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh at Cheltenham yesterday.
Big Buck’s reverted to the smaller obstacles after his last-fence fall in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury. And following a superb head-to-head with Don’t Push It over the last fence he made his first crack at the smaller obstacles a winning one for Nicholls, with a three-quarter length success in the Unicoin Homes Handicap Hurdle
The six-year-old, whom connections hope will turn into a serious Gold Cup contender in time, is likely to stick to hurdles for the time being.
World Hurdle sponsors Ladbrokes have introduced Big Buck’s into the market at 14-1 with Nicky Henderson’s Punchestowns the current 2-1 favourite.
Big Buck’s (9-2) just outstayed his rival and Nicholls’ recommendation to owner Andy Stewart about going back to hurdling paid off.
Nicholls said: “I think he’s got a lot of ability and told Andy it might be the wrong thing to go for the Gold Cup this year. In order to go for the Stayers’ (World Hurdle) he needed to win today, but he’s done that well and my intention would be to come back for the Cleeve Hurdle at the end of the month. He was one horse I thought the switch to hurdles would do the world of good to.”
The champion trainer added: “This plan will give him the chance to mature, as we can always go back chasing at a later date. We’ll run him in the Cleeve and let him tell us from there.”
Another horse likely to head for the Cleeve Hurdle is Lough Derg (7-1) who scored another battling victory under Tom Scudamore in the Steel Plate And Sections Hurdle.
David Pipe’s nine-year-old rallied to score by a neck and three-quarters ahead of No Refuge and Franchoek.
Lough Derg is a best-priced 50-1 with bet365 for the World Hurdle.
Pipe said: “We’ve had this horse from the very beginning and tomorrow morning he’ll be as fresh as a daisy.
“He’s an amazing horse, as you’ve seen for yourselves. He’s not the most fluent of movers and wouldn’t win a beauty contest, but he has a big heart and is incredibly gutsy. He has lots of hard races but keeps coming back for more.”
Trainer Jonjo O’Neill, meanwhile, is hoping tomorrow’s meeting at Sandown gets the go-ahead to allow former top novice chaser Foreman to make his debut for the Jackdaws Castle stable in the Blue Square Mobile Handicap Chase.
The JP McManus-owned 11-year-old, who won the two-mile novice chase at Aintree in 2006, has moved stables from Charlie Swan’s yard in a bid to rekindle his enthusiasm and O’Neill said: “Charlie Swan had him and JP has sent him to me.
“He seems in grand old form, but off his mark of 156 life is always going to be tough and there aren’t many opportunities for him.”
O’Neill also stated that he will give the Trevor Hemmings-owned Albertas Run, a fine second to Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, one more outing before a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
He added: “Albertas just stays and he wants good ground. He’ll be entered for the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham later in the month as well as the Aon Chase at Newbury and the Irish Hennessy.
“The only thing about Ireland is that you wouldn’t know what the ground would be like.”
TODAY’S NAP: Glan Lady (1.15pm Southwell)
