Sam is ready for his Big day
SAM TWISTONDAVIES says the pressure of riding Big Buck’s in this afternoon’s Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham is far outweighed by the opportunity it offers.
The r eturn of t he Paul Nicholls- trained f our- time World Hurdle winner in a contest he has won twice before has been a date ringed in the diaries of jump racing enthusiasts.
What was not expected was the soap opera that developed about who rides the 11-year-old which has been off the track for 14 months because of strained tendon in his near fore leg.
While it is no surprise that it is not Nicholls’ main jockey Daryl Jacob, to hear that he thought he was on a hiding to nothing trying to follow in the footsteps of predecessor Ruby Walsh on arguably the best long- distance hurdler of all time was perplexing.
But Jacob’s decision resulted in 21-year-old Twiston-Davies, who recalls watching Big Buck’s win his first World Hurdle victory in 2009 while still at school, being recruited by owner Andy Stewart.
Twiston-Davies said: ‘There is a good bit of pressure but at the same time I’d be jumping up and down to ride him.
‘You want that pressure, you want everyone to be looking at you because that is what is going to get you moving places.
‘Andy Stewart and Paul Nicholls have put a lot of faith in me and because they believe in you it makes you feel good about yourself. To have my name next to Big Buck’s is massive.’
Twiston-Davies, who schooled Big Buck’s on Monday, added: ‘Whatever you ask him to do it is never too strenuous — it is always in that Big Buck’s stride which kills races.
‘It is stiff opposition but if he returns to the form he was in when he last ran, he will win, won’t he?’
Standing in the way of the 5-4 favourite are five rivals including last year’s winner Reve De Sivola. He was beaten nine lengths when Big Buck’s last ran in December 2012.
While that shows Big Buck’s needn’t necessarily be at his tip-top best to win, it will be a nervous time, not least for Nicholls.
He can point to two recent examples of stablemates who have overcome a similar injury, 2012 Grand National winner Neptune Collonges and King George VI Chase third Al Ferof.
But Nicholls warns not to expect flamboyance, saying: ‘He is workmanlike and would win a seller by the same distance as a Gold Cup. But Rose (Loxton) who rides him every day says he feels the same.’
That is why it will not be a complete mission accomplished, win or lose, until Big Buck’s gets a clean bill of health tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, old partner Walsh, who because of his Willie Mullins obligations could not commit to Big Buck’s when offered the ride, will be an interested observer after he partners unbeaten Annie Power i n the Grade Two OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster.
He must now chase a fourth consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow on Hurricane Fly after his 18-time Grade One winner suffered a bruised foot injury scare earlier this week.