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Big Buck’s wins despite Walsh’s schoolboy error

CHELTENHAM, United Kingdom - Big Buck’s won his third successive World Hurdle here on Thursday despite rider Ruby Walsh dropping his whip coming to the last hurdle.

By (AFP)

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Published: Thu 17 Mar 2011, 11:18 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 8:43 AM

The 31-year-old Irishman - who took his record career haul of Festival winners to 31 - admitted to making a schoolboy error in dropping the whip as he looked around him for potential dangers coming to the last flight.

Ultimately, though, even that wasn’t enough to deny Big Buck’s his place among the pantheon of great hurdlers as he denied a late challenge from Grands Crus to extend his unbeaten record to 11 races and justify his 10/11 odds on favourite status.

“That was a schoolboy error,” admitted Walsh, who on crossing the line put his hand to his mouth in relief.

“I was lucky to get away with it. It is not one of my finest moments,” added Walsh, who only returned from a broken right leg last week.

Champion jockey and BBC Sports Personality of the year Tony McCoy had recorded a double ahead of the feature race.

The Ulsterman got off the mark in the first, the Jewson Novices Chase, on 4/1 shot Noble Prince, trained by Paul Nolan in Ireland, pushing him out for a four length win and his 200th winner of a typically productive season.

“Just one of the best days of my life,” said Nolan, who was giving the Irish their 10th win of the Festival.

“It was just as well that Tony got a big jump out of him at the last as otherwise he would have ended up in the canteen!”

McCoy’s second came with Albertas Run as he won the Ryanair Chase for the second successive year and third win in his career at the Festival.

The 6/1 chance saw off a late challenge by 7/1 shot Kalahari King, who came from the clouds under Graham Lee, while long-time leader Rubi Light was third in a climax that saw a spectator run onto the track holding up a sign attacking the sponsor.

Albertas Run’s win proved a welcome bright spot in what has been a difficult season for his highly-popular trainer Jonjo O’Neill, who had opted to run him in the race rather than Friday’s Gold Cup.

“He just loves this track,” said O’Neill, who rode the remarkable Irish mare Dawn Run to Gold Cup success in 1986 making her the only horse to do the Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double.

“I imagined myself on top of him two out and riding him home! No, the gods smiled on us today,” added the 58-year-old Irishman, who also fought a successful battle against cancer.

Another horse to repeat his heroics from last year was Buena Vista, who showed that at 10 age has not withered him as the David Pipe-trained runner came home at the generous odds of 20/1 under Conor O’Farrell in the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle.

It was not all about the big stables, though, as 70-year-old trainer Pat Rodford - who has just 10 horses - produced a superb training performance when his 25/1 shot and a winner only last Saturday at Sandown Holmwood Legend won the Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase, under Keiran Burke, for his first ever winner in his final season of training.

The winning duo had finished second with their only other runner this week, Sparky May finishing behind the formidable Irish mare Quevaga in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle on Tuesday.

“We should bring all 10 horses here next year,” quipped Burke, who is replacing Rodford when he stands down in May.