Big Buck’s willing to pick up gauntlet

Big Buck’s won four successive renewals of this prestigious three-mile stamina test before missing last year’s race because of a tendon injury. The race has added spice because Ruby Walsh, Big Buck’s regular jockey in the past, will be aboard Annie Power.

Yet the owner appears to have every confidence in his legendary horse and young jockey Sam Twiston-Davies, even though their first outing together saw the 18-race winning run of Big Buck’s ended in Cheltenham’s Cleeve Hurdle at the end of January when caught by the unheralded Knockara Beau, and a revitalised At Fishers Cross, in the final strides.

Though some critics criticised Twiston-Davies for taking up the running in the race, it was still a formidable effort from an 11-year-old horse that had spent over a year on the injury sidelines.

Barbados-based Stewart said: “I think it’s great they’ve decided to run Annie Power in the World Hurdle. It certainly spices the race up.

“I can fully understand why Willie has made this decision. He obviously doesn’t want to let her run against Quevega in the mares’ race and then would she be good enough to beat Hurricane Fly or whatever wins the Champion Hurdle?

“Annie Power is the up-and-coming star and she’ll be receiving 7lb from Big Buck’s.

“We’ll find out whether she can stay three miles and also there is the question about the ground.

“Whenever I’ve seen her she’s been running on soft ground, and by the Thursday of Cheltenham it could be good, good to soft in places. We know Big Buck’s likes better ground, we know he stays and he has won the race four times.”

Stewart feels if the anticipated improvement is forthcoming, Annie Power will have a lot on her plate to get the better of his pride and joy.

“In previous years we’ve had horses like Grands Crus, Dynaste and Oscar Whisky taking us on and none of them have been able to beat Big Buck’s,” he said.

“I’m very pleased Annie Power is taking us on. There is no point having a race where Big Buck’s barely needs to get into a gallop.

“We couldn’t be happier with our horse and if Annie Power goes and beats him, then good luck to her, but she will have to improve a lot if Big Buck’s runs up to his best.”

Nicky Henderson believes My Tent Or Yours would be “very, very unlucky” if a foot problem leads to his withdrawal from the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

The seven-year-old’s Cheltenham Festival preparations received a jolt after it was found he had sustained a wound on his near-fore sole.

Henderson nonetheless remains upbeat the JP McManus-owned My Tent Or Yours will prove his fitness in time for the Champion Hurdle next Tuesday, for which he is available at around the 9-2 mark.

The champion trainer said: “It’s a little puncture, right in the middle of the sole. It’s a bad spot as you can’t really put a pad on it. It’s clean and it now needs 24 hours to harden off, and then we’ll see where we are. When we changed his shoe he was in some discomfort, but his shoe is now back on.”

My Tent Or Yours won a jumpers’ bumper at Kempton last month under AP McCoy who would switch to the JP McManus-owned Jezki, trained by Jessie Harrington, if this season’s dual Grade One winner does not recover in time.

Barney Curley has admitted his part in the January betting coup which cost bookmakers in the region of £2m.

Eye Of The Tiger, Seven Summits, Indus Valley and Low Key all won on January 22 with each of the four horses being linked to the legendary gambler.

The former trainer did not admit his role at the time, but Curley has now conceded that he was part of the gamble. “It’s over now, we’ve done it – it was very satisfying. Let’s hope it does a bit of good. I’m a retired racehorse trainer. I’m not really a retired owner though – I have a few young horses,” he said.

Curley revealed former trainers Ian Balding and Martin Pipe, as well as the latter’s son David, had written to him messages of congratulation following the coup.