THE MAJESTIC BIG BUCK’S cruised into horse racing’s record books this afternoon with a nine-length win in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, his 17th consecutive win over fences.
Paul Nicholls’s champion stayer is now unbeaten since March 2008, breaking Sir Ken’s modern-day jumps record with a run which includes four Cheltenham World Hurdles and now four Liverpool Hurdles.
Sent off the 2/9 favourite for the opening race of this year’s Grand National festival, jockey Ruby Walsh patiently settled in behind early pacemakers Across the Bay and Poungach.
The race was as good as won when Walsh let the nine-year-old kick on after the fourth last, with his nearest challenger Crack Away Jack (33/1) finishing nine lengths adrift.
Across the Bay, Donald McCain’s 50/1 shot ridden by Jason Maguire, finished three-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
“He’s an incredible horse and he’s skated in today,” Walsh said afterwards (Racing Post).
The race wasn’t as competitive as Cheltenham. We’re lucky that we haven’t got to the bottom of him, he’s never been extended and I think there’s more there.
