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Buck's in World Domination
18/03/10

1 Big Buck's 5/6 Fav
2 Time For Rupert 16/1
3 Powerstation 33/1
14 ran

Big Buck’s
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The success was welcomed by jockey Ruby Walsh and trainer Paul Nicholls, who have had several notable reverses including when odds-on Master Minded finished only fourth in yesterday’s Seasons Holiday Queen Mother Champion Chase.

“I was very nervous beforehand,” itted Nicholls. “Master Minded was not good enough but we knew this horse had a big chance.

“He was very good today, I think it was his best ever performance and win number three next year is the plan. We might do fences one day, you never say never, but at the moment there is no point when he is so good at this.

“He’s a totally different horse on the track than at home and he didn’t work very well on Saturday morning, but that’s normal for him. He’s a character that you just have to kid along and get right. He’s a bit like Denman and you sometimes wonder how they can be so good when you look at them at home..

“We have sort of worked out that he is best fresh so have kept him for this. You always worry that you are going to get left in front too soon but he travelled well.”

Walsh added: “Time For Rupert is a fair horse and he beat me in a handicap at Aintree last year, but it’s a long way from that to here. I wanted to have a bit of company, I didn’t want to be my own too early. It’s a joy to be riding him, he travelled super and is just a very good horse.”

Owner Andy Stewart added: “He never came off the bridle and I think there were some good horses behind him

“There are four of us in our family and as far as I’m concerned the most important thing is that they are all here.

“My son Paul was in a wheelchair at last year’s Festival (following a skiing accident) and he is here today walking with sticks. Hopefully next year he will be back here walking without them.”

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FROM ANDY STEWART AND PAUL NICHOLLS - THE OWNER AND TRAINER OF THE LADBROKES WORLD HURDLE WINNER BIG BUCK’S

Andy Stewart: “His last piece of work wasn’t impressive but he did not hit a flat spot in the race today. Well if he did, nobody saw it!

“When we won last year, my son Paul was in a wheelchair and this year he managed to walk up to the podium which was what he wanted to do. The Sunday after the Grand National he goes off to Miami for further treatment. The Spinal Research sponsorship will continue for the rest of the year and the charity is doing lots of research. I will be helping with the purchase of two machines to go to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Life has been kind to us and I would like everyone to have access to the kind of treatment Paul has received in America.

“I thought Paul (Nicholls) was bonkers at the time when he suggested that Big Buck’s should go back over hurdles after he unseated Sam Thomas in the Hennessy last season, but he has seen off the likes of Punchestowns and Kasbah Bliss and I think he could be one of the best staying hurdlers we have seen.”

Paul Nicholls: “I was slightly worried about the ground today but when I looked at his form again I noticed that he has won twice on similar ground at Aintree.

“His last piece of work was moderate, but that’s just the way he is. He gives you a few sleepless nights, but is a very talented horse. He is a bit like Denman in that doesn’t always show much at home but is different when he gets to the racecourse.

“You always worry when short-priced favourites get beaten and obviously it was disappointing with Master Minded yesterday, but the sport has to move forward.

“In this game, you never say never but there is no point in Big Buck’s going back over fences when he is so good over hurdles. He will now go to Aintree and hopefully follow the same path back to Cheltenham next year. In that respect he is an easy horse to train as his route is mapped out.

“Looking ahead to the Gold Cup tomorrow, Kauto Star is amazing and just keeps coming back. Obviously, Denman had a setback at Newbury last time but he did a really hard piece of work this morning as he always does the day before the Gold Cup.

“Kauto Star will love this ground and Denman has good enough form on the ground too.

“Obviously, Denman has had a breathing operation and I think Paul Barber and Harry Findlay are wrong to say he wants heavy ground.

“Denman is a totally different horse to 12 months ago. He will look a lot tighter when you see him in the parade ring tomorrow.”

TIME FOR RUPERT BEST OF THE REST

“This was meant to be a quiet year. We thought we’d win one on a mark of about 145 and have a quiet time,” said trainer Paul Webber, after Time For Rupert upped his game once more to finish in second place in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, beaten just three and a quarter lengths by odds-on favourite Big Buck’s.

“He’s run a fantastic race. He’s always given us the impression that he’s improving about seven or eight pounds at a time. I thought that we would still be seven pounds short of Big Buck’s but he’s got closer than even that,” added Webber.

“William (Kennedy) has given him an inch-perfect ride. Absolutely no excuses just delighted to be as close to Big Buck’s as that and 11 lengths back to the third? It was a tremendous performance.

“Davy Russell [on War Of Attrition] said to Will when he pushed on, ‘Aren’t we going a bit soon">more]