Tributes flow for one of the great staying hurdlers
Big Buck’s, the dominant staying hurdler who defined a period of National Hunt racing for trainer Paul Nicholls, has died at the age of 23. A regular feature at the biggest spring fixtures, he leaves a legacy built on repeated success at Cheltenham, Aintree, Newbury and Ascot.
Racing career shaped by a return to hurdles
Originally campaigned with jumping fences in mind, Big Buck’s was tried over the larger obstacles early in his career. After a fall at the final fence in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup he reverted to hurdles and subsequently posted a run of victories that established him among the all-time greats in staying hurdle company.
He won the race now known as the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham four times, added four Liverpool Hurdle successes at Aintree and recorded three wins in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. The gelding’s trademark was a pronounced mid-race lull before producing a powerful surge up the hill, a pattern that made him a favourite with racegoers.
Part of a golden era at Ditcheat
Big Buck’s was trained during a prolific spell for Nicholls’ Ditcheat yard that also included horses such as Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Neptune Collonges. He was owned by the late Andy Stewart and formed a successful partnership with jockey Ruby Walsh, often producing his finishing kick in the big festival moments.
When switched back to hurdles he went on an exceptional run, at one stage recording a sequence of 18 consecutive National Hunt wins, a mark that stood as a record at the time and has since been bettered by a select few.
How high might he have gone over fences?
Connections have long reflected on what might have been had Big Buck’s taken to chasing. Although he did win over fences at Aintree earlier in his career, his jumping was considered unconventional and he was not seen as a natural over bigger obstacles. That uncertainty curtailed any extended chasing campaign and steered him back to staying hurdles, where he proved virtually invincible.
Over hurdles he collected a sequence of Grade One victories across Britain and Ireland, frequently landing the premier staying events at the major festivals. His fourth successive triumph in the Cheltenham day-three feature — the Stayers’ Hurdle — is often singled out as a career highlight, achieved against a notably strong field.
Retirement and later years
After retirement from racing Big Buck’s enjoyed a comfortable second career away from the track. He spent his later years in equine retirement under the care of Mike and Lucy Felton, following his time in training with Nicholls. His passing marks the loss of one of the most recognisable figures from recent festival history.
Legacy
- Four-time winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham
- Four-time Liverpool Hurdle winner at Aintree
- Three Long Walk Hurdle victories at Ascot
- Recorded a run of 18 consecutive National Hunt wins when returned to hurdles
Big Buck’s remains a defining figure of the modern staying-hurdle division, remembered for his distinctive racing style and for contributing to one of the most successful periods in Paul Nicholls’ training career. Festival racegoers who witnessed his Hill-top finishes will recall him as a reliable Thursday highlight at Cheltenham and a crowd favourite at Aintree and Ascot.
