Results & Reviews / Timeform / 16 March 2012 / 1

"Great" can mean markedly different things to different people, but there is unlikely to be a single dissenter when Big Buck's is described as one of jump racing's all-time greats.

His fourth successive win in the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival - the recognised staying hurdle championship - did not come especially easily. But once again Big Buck's repelled the best that could be put up against him (read more HERE).

His occasional vulnerability seems to go hand in hand with eventual invincibility. Oscar Whisky and Thousand Stars both looked like causing him headaches in this year's race when hot on his heels running to two out, only to empty. Then Voler La Vedette ranged up even more menacingly approaching the last.

Big Buck's even went odds against at one point - over £7,000 was matched at [2.0] or bigger on Betfair - but, as ever, he found what was required to settle the issue on the run-in.

At the line, he had one and three quarter lengths to spare over Voler La Vedette (who was receiving 7 lb), with seven lengths back to Smad Place. That is the same winning margin as in 2009 (over Punchestowns) and in 2011 (from Grands Crus).

This might not have been quite his greatest performance in terms of figures, but no staying hurdler has compiled a record to match his: this was his 16th win in a row over timber. The Timeform pre-race master rating of Big Buck's, of 176+, has him in rarefied company among hurdlers.

His provisional performance rating - for the bare form of this race - is at the foot of this article.

This year's Cheltenham Festival has already provided some exceptional performances from man and horse, but no finish has been more nail-biting than that for the Ryanair Chase.

Several had chances entering the closing stages, but it was Riverside Theatre who just denied front-running Albertas Run (winner the previous two years, and matched at [1.13] in running) and Medermit on the run-in.

This was win number six at the 2012 Festival for trainer Nicky Henderson and number five for jockey Barry Geraghty, with the latter brilliant here even by his own very high standards.

Riverside Theatre got the odd fence wrong and was on and off the bit but showed resolution in abundance to get close to his pre-race 171 rating.

Racing on day three commenced with the second running of the Jewson Novices' Chase, in which Sir des Champs maintained his unbeaten record in accounting for Champion Court by four and a half lengths, stalking his rival before going clear on the run-in.

This was the third winner of the week for Irish trainers, or, more specifically, for one Irish trainer in Willie Mullins.

The Davy Russell-ridden winner could well be on the Cheltenham Gold Cup trail in a year's time and does not have a huge gap to bridge to be in that class. Peddlers Cross, switched to this from the Arkle at a fairly late stage, tended to jump to his right and ran no sort of a race.

The Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle was dominated by off-the-pace horses after a good early gallop. Cape Tribulation was produced at the last by Denis O'Regan to score for trainer Malcolm Jefferson.

The winner had been an eye-catcher in the qualifying race at Haydock the time before, as had Sunnyhillboy, who was switched back to fences and landed some good bets in the concluding Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase under amateur Alan Berry.

Tom Scudamore came in for criticism for seeming to go too fast on Kazlian on day two but judged the fractions perfectly on the David Pipe-trained Salut Flo in the Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase, having six lengths to spare at the line.

With the final day of the Festival - featuring the Gold Cup showdown between Long Run and Kauto Star - in mind, it should be noted that times were quite a bit slower on Thursday's watered New Course than for the first two days, and might even have edged into good to soft ground.

The soothsayer famously warned Julius Caesar to "beware the Ides of March" (today's date of the 15th of March, that is) in Shakespeare's play. But punters may well look back on day three of the 2012 Cheltenham Festival with great fondness.

There were plenty of well-backed winners, one of the big-race "good things" (Big Buck's) finally obliged, and 5 out of 6 winners were top-rated by Timeform: what more could they ask for?!

Day three winners, with provisional performance rating achieved in race itself and sectional from 3 out chase/2 out hurdles for leader/winner:
Sir des Champs c158+ (55.8 sec)
Cape Tribulation h149 (55.8 sec)
Riverside Theatre c169 (57.7 sec)
Big Buck's h168+ (53.6 sec)
Salut Flo c149 (59.0 sec)
Sunnyhillboy c151 (59.9 sec)
.......
Timeform followers had a Festival frenzy on Thursday, with 5 top-rated winners at Cheltenham. Make sure you fo visit timeform.com to download Friday's card.

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1. Katie | 16 March 2012

   Absaloutly fantastic resuts on day four of the CheltFest, AP defintly deserved every bit of that win. Phenominal talent from N.Henderson and Barry Geraghty. Everything to be proud of. Also, Not to forget to mention.. Everyone who raised money for charities. Great work!

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