Wow. 2 out and you'd fancy Big Bucks to have won that race comfortably...Sam Twiston-Davies was at the front and looking comfortable. He'd been out in front for quite a while with the other 5 horses a few lengths behind but at this point nothing looked more comfortable than the great 4 time World Hurdle winner. And then it started...Big Bucks was no longer pulling away from the pack, At Fishers Cross was looking decent under the Champion Jockey McCoy which was surely where the biggest threat to Big Bucks was now going to come from. Ok there was some 66/1 poke who hadn't win in 17 visits to Cheltenham, Knockara Beau, but surely he couldn't dethrone the great hurdler could he? After all he was rated a whopping 21lbs inferior to the returning Nicholls inmate. But despite being matched at 1000 in the run that's exactly what happened as Knockara Beau under Jan Faltejsek came through to beat At Fishers Cross into 2nd place with Big Bucks back in third, casting the Cheltenham crowd into silence. The happiness and emotion on Jan's face as he crossed the line in front was there for all to see and you couldn't help but be extremely pleased for him. I'm sure the bookies were thrilled as well, casting memories of the betting coup that had gone against them in midweek far into the distance.
In the immediate aftermath of the race fingers began being pointed. It could certainly be said that Sam Twiston-Davies was in front for far too long on Big Bucks, and with experience I think we would see a far different run from the young jockey. However in his prime Big Bucks would have overcome that slight tactical issue without too much trouble, certainly without 21lbs worth of trouble. Nicholls said post race that the heavy ground wasn't idea but they just had to get a run into the horse, and that can't be disputed. However what will be debated in the coming days and weeks will be just how much Big Bucks will come on for that run. He certainly travelled well enough, as I say 2 out he looked all over the winner. It was the point at which you were used seeing Big Bucks put the race to bed where the trouble started. He didn't seem to be able to go away from his rivals. He certainly didn't fade out of contention at all, the old stamina seems to remain, but age doesn't tend to eat away at stamina as it does speed and that was where I though the biggest problem was. Who knows, with a run and a few more gallops under his belt Big Bucks may regain that spark and kick, and the horse we see in the World Hurdle may be able to put the race to bed coming over the 2nd last.
3/1, the price quoted immediately after the race, may still attract a lot of punters especially considering we don't know if the horse at the head of the market with him for that race, Annie Power, will even turn up. However I wouldn't be so quick to lump on. Firstly we've got the potential issue I mentioned above, Big Bucks isn't the young horse he once was so there is no guarantee he still possessed the zip and speed of old. Secondly no-one knows how well he will come out of his first race for 14 months. The race today showed us that Big Bucks, right now, is not the horse he once was. Whether you fancy him for the World Hurdle at 3/1 or not depends on if you still believe Nicholls can get the horse back to the peaks he was once capable of and after today a little doubt has been placed in my mind. I certainly won't be rushing to the bookies this evening thats for sure.
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