Should Frankel' s swansong sign off with a win on Saturday, this great horse will win his fourteenth successive race - and remain unbeaten in just over a two year period. His place in racing history is assured and the memories will perpetuate. Should Big Buck's follow the same path as last year- and win the same five races- by the end of the season he will have won 22 consecutive races over hurdles; five World Hurdles; and not lost in over four years; and six years since his last hurdles' defeat. What a legacy and mantle Frankel would be passing on to his National Hunt counterpart, and how privileged we are to witness two great horses within weeks of each other! Roll on Saturday- and then roll out Big Buck's.
This may sound like me being pedantic, but if you search for Big Bucks on the Sporting Life database you won't find him you'll find an unraced 3YO gelding trained by Tim McCanna. Our hero's correct name is Big Buck's (his dam was called Buck's) Agree fully with the sentiment and the most amazing thing I find is that you just KNOW he is going to win. Even coming up the Cheltenham hill in March when Volar La Vedette was cantering all over him, you just knew she wouldn't get past him. The fact he sometimes hits a flat spot just adds more excitement to his races - I remember in the race at Ascot last season he looked to be struggling coming round Swinley Bottom but he won going away on the bridle. Amazing horse !!
the Thursday of the festival is often thought of as the weakest racing day of the week. This season I think the Thursday will be THE day of the week. To see Big Bucks win his 5th world hurdle win in a row would be the highlight of the NH season
In ‘The Weekender’ a couple of weeks back it was reported that the French Champion Hurdle (over 25.5 furlongs and won for the past 2 terms by Thousand Stars) will be given serious consideration by connections of Big Buck’s after the Festival. The race is run in early June and therefore it is possible that either the Cleeve or the Aintree race may be missed off the old boy’s schedule this season.
Sorry but Big Bucks shouldnt be mentioned in the same breath as Frankel, one has been beating up extremely slow animals in a weak division and the other has won 4 times at the Cheltenham Festival. No but seriously, Frankel is in a league of his own, Big Bucks is a nice staying hurdler around when there are no other great staying hurdlers and I dont see why he should be mentioned with possibly the greatest flat horse of all time.
The Master of Glesga, it all depends on how you see things. Perhaps there's an analogy in Athletics between say Usain Bolt and Ed Moses. Doubtless the vast majority would claim that Bolt is the greater athlete- partly because of the 100m glamour and partly because he's sensational and current. Yet Moses won 122 consecutive races over hurdles in a ten year period. As I see it, it's down to the athlete's/horse's particular forte or category. Frankel and Bolt don't have a series of hurdles to negotiate- where one mistake can be crucial - and, in Big Buck's and Moses' case, to be unbeaten over very long periods show great consistency and durability. I believe these are qualities of a high order when assessing true greatness. Ultimately, its a question of personal opinion but I for one shall remember Big Buck's and Moses just as much as Bolt and Frankel.
I suppose there is no real answer to some of these debates. I would take the view though that Frankel is extraordinary and probably the best horse I will ever witness I don't have that opinion of Big Bucks a very decent staying hurdler.
