Nicholls may go chasing Gold with Big Buck’s

RACING:

IMPERIAL Commander and Binocular were the headline horses at this season’s Cheltenham Festival, but this was a meeting at which the honours were evenly shared.

The imperious Ruby Walsh, who dominated last year’s Festival, was once again the top jockey, but only managed three winners this time and suffered defeat on odds-on favourites Kauto Star and Master Minded.

But there was some consolation for Ruby as his younger sister Katie, rode a double at the meeting, eclipsing her close friend Nina Carberry, who has enjoyed such success at Cheltenham during the last few years.

Imperial Commander was a worthy winner of the Gold Cup and might still have prevailed even if Kauto Star had not performed below expectations.

He jumped immaculately throughout, travelled with ease and found plenty up the hill to see off Denman.

Like Kauto Star and Denman this year, Imperial Commander will be 10 next March and it may be that one of the young pretenders - headed by RSA Chase winner Weapons Amnesty and Arkle runner-up Somersby - could lead a changing of the guard.

As for Binocular, his victory in the Champion Hurdle merely confirmed what trainer Nicky Henderson and many of us already believed - that he is the most talented hurdler in training.

Of course, all had not gone according to plan for him this season, but on the day he was brilliant.

As Celestial Halo set a strong pace in the first-time blinkers, Binocular sliced his way through the field as his lightning-fast jumping came into play.

And although Khyber Kim launched a strong and determined challenge at the final flight, Binocular was clearly the better horse and was most definitely a worthy winner of this great race.

Other Festival highlights for me were the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle win of Peddlers Cross and The Ladbrokes World Hurdle Triumph of Big Buck’s.

The former maintained the upward curve of Donald McCain, who is clearly the most successful trainer in the north these days and is on the verge of joining the country’s elite league.

Peddlers Cross is only a five-year-old and has a huge future before him.

I suspect he would have won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on the opening day had he taken part and if he were mine I would aim him at next season’s Champion Hurdle as he has lots of pace.

As for Big Buck’s, he was simply awesome in his contemptuous dismissal of his rivals and the World Hurdle is his for the taking again in 2011, health and fitness permitting.

However, with stable companions Kauto Star and Denman likely to be past their best at the age of 11 next year, the temptation to switch Big Buck’s back to fences may become too great.

This was a horse which might have won the Hennessy Gold Cup a couple of seasons ago had he not fallen at the last fence and I suspect that he could yet reach the top over the bigger obstacles if trainer Paul Nicholls decides to grasp the nettle.



FOLLOWERS of Chronicle racing corespondent Keith McHugh were counting their winnings following the Cheltenham Festival.

Our man selected two 14-1 shots in Albertas Run (previously suggested at 25-1 ante-post) and Pause and Clause.

Binocular and Ballabriggs were 9-1 winners, while Soldatino (6-1) and Quevega (6-4) made it a bookie-bashing week for the Chronicle tipster.

His selections for tomorrow’s jumps meetings at Kempton, Southwell and Exeter can be found by visiting www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk