Weekend Runners / Paul Nicholls / 26 November 2011 / 1

Paul sends a very strong team to Newbury for Hennessy Gold Cup day including the might Big Buck's - get the exclusive on all his runners at the Berkshire track, as well as his two Newcastle horses here

12:20, Newbury
Earth Planet
Has been on the go for a while and it is possible that we are going to the well once too often today. But he has kept his form well enough on the track, finishing a good second at Sandown last time, and looks in good order at home, so we take our chance. James Cowley, having returned to the amateur ranks to gain valuable experience, takes 7lb off.

12:55, Newbury
Prospect Wells
He was a challenge in more ways than one when coming to me, as this Group 2-winning French middle distance performer wasn't, shall we say, the most naturally gifted jumper when arriving from Howard. But some intensive schooling (we put him over 200 or so obstacles at home) certainly did the trick as he was very impressive on his hurdling debut at Chepstow and then ran a blinder when stepped significantly up in class in a Grade 2 at the Paddy Power meeting. I thought he had the race won on the run-in there - as did Betfair punters, as he traded at [1.01] in running - but he just got worried out of it by a neck by the favourite Steps To Freedom.
That forms clearly sets the standard for others to match but you would have to respect Nicky's hurdling debutant; he had four in here in at the five day stage, and he relies on Group class stayer All The Aces, who we have to give 5lb.

14:05, Newbury
Rock On Ruby
I'd have thought he will need and improve for the run today but he looks in great shape for his comeback and this race will tell us where we go with him next. He has won a bumper and a hurdle at this track, and showed his best form over 2m5f at Cheltenham, when second to Bob's Worth in January and a short head second to First Lieutenant in the Neptune in the Festival. Reverts back in trip here but a fast-run race should suit; he doesn't lack pace.

Empire Levant
I thought he would win here on Thursday but perhaps not by 29 lengths! But the race rather fell apart and he had little more than an exercise school round, so we take our chance here before the handicapper clobbers him. Escapes a penalty for Thursday's win as it was a conditional jockeys race and he effectively races off 10 stone with Harry's 7lb claim. Is a horse I really like and has an obvious chance, but this is far, far more competitive than Thursday's stroll.

14:35, Newbury
Big Buck's
I am not going to tell you anything that you don't already know about Big Buck's, am I? I clearly won't have him fully wound up for this race - and he wasn't overly impressive in this race last year, so don't expect fireworks - but on all known form he should be up to giving weight all round to this field. And then some. The performance he put up when beating Grands Crus at Aintree was simply sheer and utter class.

Five Dream
Surprised me when running an excellent second to his stablemate The Knoxs at Exeter last time but that came off a mark of just 131 and he is clearly just here trying to pick up some crumbs!

15:10, Newbury
For details of Neptune Collonges, Aiteen Thirtythree and Michel Le Bon see Friday night's lead story.

15:45, Newbury
Fistral Beach
Goes especially well when fresh, and duly did the business by eight lengths on his reappearance at Wetherby. Is up 7lb in the weights here and second time out is a concern for his backers. But he gives every indication that he is in good order at home, has run well here before, and hopefully will run to his best. If he does, he has an obvious winning chance.

12:00, Newcastle
Double Expresso
Has joined me from Howard Johnson. Has perhaps not progressed as much as expected after winning his first two starts in bumpers but ran ok on his final start at Wetherby last season and hopefully we can build upon that, though his only chase start saw him unseat his rider at Musselburgh last November. Runs here against some in-form and race-fit rivals but we have done a lot of work with his jumping at home; runs in a tongue tie.

14:20, Newcastle
Celestial Halo
I am glad that Overturn runs here as Celestial Halo would have been there to be shot at by Binocular, otherwise. Everyone assumed he would have been picked up by Grandouet in the Elite at Wincanton, but I am not that sure as ours is a battler. But after seeing Grandouet win at Haydock, perhaps I am being a touch optimistic! But that win, however fortuitous, showed us that he is in good order, and we take our chance against Binocular and the in-form Overturn. Nicky seems quite confident about Binocular, and if he is spot on first time out (which he hasn't been for the past two seasons) he will clearly take plenty of beating. He has mostly had the beating of us when we have met, although we had the better of him by a head when we finished second in the 2009 Champion Hurdle..

Find out my three best chances this weekend here

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1. Rick | 26 November 2011

   I would just like to say that I am so disappointed with the training and campaigning of Big Bucks.

   I could understand the decision to revert to hurdles as a 5/6 yo but he is 8 years old now, is bred to be a chaser, looks like a chaser and should be campaigned as a chaser. Had he been in almost any other yard he would be chasing now.

   It is very nice of Mr Stewart to defer to the owners of Kauto Star and Denman for the last few years (and I am a massive fan of both, I was blubbing last week after Haydock) but I would like to ask him a simple question:

   How many horses with the required ability to win a Gold Cup do you expect to own in your life? If you ever own a horse as good as Big Bucks you will be very, very lucky because they are very rare.

   I understand the plan maybe to have a go in the Gold Cup in 2013, when Big Bucks will be 10 years old. Even if everything goes well between now and then and you turn up in perfect condition, you are effectively are putting all eggs in one basket because horses older than 10 yo have a dreadful record in the Gold Cup. In all likelihood, if he does not win in 2013 he never will... and as See More Business shows anything can happen in the race itself.

   With Kauto, Denman and Imperial Commander all extremely unlikely winners and very little coming out of the novice ranks there is really only Long Run to beat.

   Why not have a go at the Gold Cup in 2012? Let us see the horse doing what he was meant to do. These hurdle races are uncompetitive and frankly boring.

   I know you won't change and I just want to say I am very unimpressed.

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