FROM hitting the deck at Newbury to Cheltenham Festival history-maker, Big Buck’s reached new heights yesterday.

The Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old became the first horse in Cheltenham Centenary history to win three consecutive Ladbrokes World Hurdles, when he powered to glory under Ruby Walsh.

Since reverting to the smaller obstacles following his early exit in the 2009 Hennessy Gold Cup, Big Buck’s is unbeaten in his 11 races and can now be seen one of the greatest staying hurdlers ever.

He became only the second horse to claim a hat-trick in the race, but unlike Inglis Drever (2005, 2007-08) he has won in successive years.

Sent off the 4-5 favourite he beat the pretender to his crown, Grands Crus, by a length and three-quarters. The Cheltenham crowd gave their hero a special welcome back to the winners’ enclosure and big-race jockey Walsh said: “He is, especially when he runs in races like at Newbury, as close in horse racing as it is to buying money if you back him.

“I know today was a different ball game at Cheltenham with difficult horses like Grands Crus and Mourad (third) but he is as close to unbeatable as a jumps horse can be.

“He’s like (American legend) Cigar on the Flat, just one of those great horses. Over hurdles he’s just prolific – he’s so much better than the others. Cheltenham are a great crowd as they are racegoers as well as punters. He’s deserving of a reception like that.”

Nicholls added: “I was really nervous today, as it’s not as if everything was in his favour.

“We knew they were unlikely to go a good pace and the ground was a bit quick but he’s a real champion. He’s a bit of a big kid but he’s a real racehorse. The crowd cheered him from when he pulled up to when he got to the winner’s enclosure. They appreciate him and he’s just great for racing.”

There will be no return to chasing for Big Buck’s, but he will bid for another hat-trick of wins at Aintree in the John Smith’s Liverpool Hurdle. Nicholls said: “He’s won three now and I’d say he’ll never see a fence again. He doesn’t need to, and after he comes back next year it would probably not be fair on him. He’ll go to Aintree now, and then we’ll follow the same route as this year.”