Paul Nicholls has paid tribute to “invincible” hurdler Big Buck’s after the record-breaker’s death at the age of 23.
A fall in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup persuaded Nicholls and owner Andy Stewart to revert to hurdles with Big Buck’s, who rattled up a then-record 18 straight victories over hurdles, including four successes in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
A Contemporary of Legends
Big Buck’s was a contemporary of Ditcheat superstars Kauto Star, Denman and Master Minded, and Nicholls said: “Ability-wise, he was probably as good as anything I’ve ever trained. Over hurdles, he was invincible. History tells you how good he was - he won all those Grade 1s on the trot. What a horse!”
Big Buck’s, who formed an exceptional partnership with Ruby Walsh, became a crowd favourite as he would frequently appear to struggle mid-race before surging clear to triumph.
A Wonderful Horse for a Wonderful Owner
Nicholls said: "He was a wonderful horse for a wonderful owner who deserved to own a great horse like that. Andy enjoyed the whole journey and shared it with everybody."
The horse had a brilliant life and had a great time with us and then a great time with Mike and Lucy Felton in retirement, but sadly time caught up with him.
"I was very lucky to have him at the same time as Kauto Star, Neptune Collonges, Master Minded and Denman. He was definitely as good as any of them."
Record-Breaking Career
One of the last surviving stars from that golden era for the Ditcheat trainer, Big Buck's would go on to surpass Sir Ken and claim a then record 18 consecutive National Hunt victories upon returning to hurdles, a feat only bettered by Altior since.
Yet for Nicholls, the nagging question of just how far he could have gone over the bigger obstacles will never truly go away.
"He won the Graded race at Aintree over fences, jumped 18 fences and jumped them 18 different ways and still won," said Nicholls. "It made me think he was a certainty in the Hennessy and he was unlucky that day, but he just wasn't a natural jumper of a fence.
"If Kauto Star hadn't been about at that time then we probably would persevered over fences and he had the ability to win a Gold Cup. If he had won the Hennessy that day it would have definitely given us a headache and it would have been interesting where he would have ended up."
But over hurdles he was invincible. Andy said I was bonkers, but going back over hurdles was the best thing we ever did.
The Race That Stands Out
When pressed to single out just one race from Big Bucks' illustrious career, packed with so many memorable victories, it was his fourth consecutive triumph in the day three feature that stands out most for Nicholls — seeing off what was arguably the strongest field he ever faced, narrowly beating Irish challenger Voler La Vedette.
"His fourth World Hurdle was the one that sticks out as being very special," said Nicholls. "But we had so many great days with such a brilliant horse and we were all very lucky to be associated with him."
