Big going for more Long Walk bucks
Big Bucks, the undisputed champion staying hurdler of recent years, will bid for his second Grade 1 BGC Long Walk Hurdle as he seeks to extend his remarkable winning sequence to ten at Ascot on Saturday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old has proved invincible over the last two seasons and looked as good, if not better than ever when beating Duc de Regniere by a smooth as silk three lengths at Newbury at the end of last month in the sportingbet.com Long Distance Hurdle.
Nine potential rivals have stood their ground at the five-day declaration stage against the Andy Stewart-owned champion, but there is little doubt that Big Bucks will once again start at arguably prohibitive fixed odds to remain unbeaten. Nicky Henderson’s Duc de Regniere is a possible opponent once again having run with credit in the Newbury contest, while Celestial Halo (placed in two Champion Hurdles and a fair third in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham last week), has also been given an entry for the £100,000 contest, even though he represents the same owner/trainer combo as Big Bucks.
Henderson might also allow the improving mare Carole’s Legacy to step up in grade and tackle Big Bucks, whilst Irish handler Thomas Mullins has given recent Navan Grade 2 winner Oscar Dan Dan an entry for the 25-furlong contest.
You have to go back to November 2008 for Big Bucks’ last defeat, and that came during his career over fences when he contested the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. Even then he was running a great race and was rallying going down to the last when blundering and unseating Sam Thomas, leaving Madison du Berlais to come home and land the coveted prize. Bar another unseat or a fall, it is hard to see Big Bucks being beaten on Saturday and even at long odds-on on odds comparison sites he probably represents a value bet.
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