racing_news/

Big Buck's Better Than Ever in Long Walk
17/12/11

1 Big Buck's 30/100F
2 Five Dream 66/1
3 Restless Harry 16/1
7 ran Distances: 8l, 1½l, 10l
TIME 6m 5.80s (slow by 19.80s)

Big Buck's moved another step closer to jumping immortality with a faultless display in the Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

Big Buck's
© racing-images.co.uk

Victory in the Grade One event was the 14th on the bounce for the Paul Nicholls-trained superstar, moving him one ahead of Bula as he closes in on Sir Ken's record of 16 set in the 1950s.

Young pretender Dynaste set out to test the 3-10 favourite from the front, and for a brief moment going to three out Ruby Walsh had to niggle Big Buck's along, but normal service was soon resumed rounding the home turn and the champion stayer jumped two out in front and sauntered clear to win by eight lengths.

The exertions in taking Big Buck's on took a toll on Dynaste, who weakened as Five Dream and Restless Harry took the minor honours.

Nicholls said: "He's all class. He looked fat at Newbury and I thought he was a lot fitter today. He's such a character and you've really got to manage him. But he was really good today and I hope he will continue to be hard to beat.

"We'll have to see, but I wouldn't have thought he would run again until Cheltenham. He won't ever go over fences now, he doesn't like them and he is too good at that job."

Five Dream
© Racehorse Photos

Walsh added: "He's an incredible stayer with loads of pace. He's just a very good horse. He's maturing and growing up. Going right-handed wasn't an issue. It might have been a few years ago, but now now. He's incredible."

Nicholls was also responsible for Five Dream, and said: "I thought he was going to run a good race on his last run and he will go for the Cleeve Hurdle now."

David Pipe said of fourth home Dynaste, who was stepping up markedly in class after a facile Haydock win: "It was a good run, but that was graded company. We will have to sit down and have a think about where he goes next."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Big Buck's P F Nicholls	R Walsh 11st 7lbs	3 - 10 Winner
2	Five Dream P F Nicholls	Ryan Mahon 11st 7lbs	66 - 1 8 lengths
3	Restless Harry R Dickin	H Oliver 11st 7lbs	16 - 1 1 1/2 length
4	Dynaste D Pipe	Conor O'Farrell 11st 7lbs	9 - 2 10 lengths
5	Cross Kennon Jennie Candlish	A O'Keeffe 11st 7lbs	40 - 1 17 lengths
6	Pettifour N A Twiston-Davies	S Twiston-Davies 11st 7lbs	50 - 1 6 lengths
7	Sparky May K Burke	T J Murphy 11st 0lbs	16 - 1 16 lengths

THE BGC LONG WALK HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR (1965-2010)
Race run as a handicap prior to 1971
Ascot, Saturday, December 18, 2010 (run at Newbury in 2009, Chepstow in 2005 and Windsor in 2004)

Year Winner Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP

2010 BIG BUCK’S 7-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls AP McCoy 2/13F
2009 BIG BUCK’S 6-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 1/2F
2008 PUNCHESTOWNS 5-11-07 Judy Wilson Nicky Henderson Barry Geraghty 3/1F
2007 LOUGH DERG 7-11-07 W Frewen David Pipe Tom Scudamore 14/1
2006 MIGHTY MAN 6-11-07 Joss Hanbury Henry Daly Richard Johnson 11/8F
2005 MY WAY DE SOLZEN 5-11-07 B Windfield, A Longman, J Wright, C Fenton; Alan King Robert Thornton 12/1
2004 BARACOUDA 9-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Tony McCoy 8/13F
2003 BARACOUDA 8-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 2/7F
2002 DEANO’S BEENO 10-11-07 Axom Martin Pipe Tony McCoy 14/1
2001 BARACOUDA 6-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 2/5F
2000 BARACOUDA 5-11-07 Roger Barby Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 11/4
1999 ANZUM 8-11-07 Old Foresters P’ship Alan King Richard Johnson 4/1
1998 PRINCEFUL 7-11-07 Robert Hitchins Jenny Pitman Richard Dunwoody 11/4F
1997 PADDY’S RETURN 5-11-07 Paddy O’Donnell Ferdy Murphy Norman Williamson 8/1
1996 OCEAN HAWK 4-11-07 Matt Archer/Jean Broadhurst Nigel Twiston-Davies Carl Llewellyn 7/1
1995 SILVER WEDGE 4-11-07 Shirley & Bill Robins Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 7/1
1994 HEBRIDEAN 7-11-07 Peter Deal David Nicholson Adrian Maguire 100/30
1993 SWEET DUKE 6-11-07 Andy Mavrou Nigel Twiston-Davies Carl Llewellyn 7/2
1992 VAGOG 7-11-07 M A Swift Martin Pipe Martin Foster 15/2
1991 Abandoned due to frost
1990 FLOYD 10-11-07 Mike Walsh David Elsworth Graham Bradley 10/1
1989 ROYAL ATHLETE 6-10-08 Gary Johnson Jenny Pitman Dean Gallagher 33/1
1988 FRENCH GOBLIN 5-11-01 Maurice Pinto Josh Gifford Peter Hobbs 3/1
1987 BLUFF COVE 5-10-08 Dickins Ltd Reg Hollinshead Richard Dunwoody 14/1
1986 OUT OF THE GLOOM 5-10-08 Paul Green Reg Hollinshead Peter Scudamore 4/1
1985 MISTY DALE 7-10-08 David Rose Jenny Pitman Phil Tuck 9/4F
1984 KRISTENSON 7-10-08 Ursula Fantasia Roger Fisher Michael Williams 7/2
1983 CRIMSON EMBERS 8-10-11 Pam Smart Fulke Walwyn Stuart Shilston 14/1
1982 MAYOTTE 7-10-11 B Davies Richard Holder Paul Richards 15/8F
1981 Abandoned due to snow
1980 DERRING ROSE 5-11-11 Peter Savill Fred Winter John Francome 7/1
1979 JOHN CHERRY 8-10-11 Milton Ritzenberg Tom Jones Steve Smith Eccles 6/1
1978 KELSO CHANT 6-11-07 Mrs M Richardson Jumbo Wilkinson Steve Charlton 10/1
1977 JOHN CHERRY 6-10-11 Milton Ritzenberg Tom Jones Steve Smith Eccles 11/8F
1976 Abandoned due to frost
1975 LANZAROTE 7-12-05 Lord Howard de Walden Fred Winter John Francome 4/9F
1974 GO BINGO 5-11-12 Guy Reed Sam Hall David Munro 9/4
1973 SOLONING 8-11-08 Mrs C Thornton Fred Winter Richard Pitman 9/2
1972 HIGHLAND ABBE 6-11-12 Mrs K Hankey Les Kennard Mr R Smith 11/1
1971 ST PATRICK’S BLUE 6-11-12 P Aunger David Tatlow Bill Smith 7/2F
1970 ROUGE AUTUMN 6-10-05 Bryan Jenks Fred Rimell Ken White 9/2F
1969 CANDID CAMERA 6-10-06 R F P Ross Ted Goddard Joe Guest 100/8
1968 Abandoned due to waterlogging
1967 Abandoned due to foot and mouth epidemic
1966 SIR EDWARD 6-10-09 R Heaton Ryan Price Josh Gifford 7/2F
1965 MINUTE GUN 8-10-04 Bill Shand Kydd Bill Shand Kydd Richard Pitman 100/8