04.04.08 - THE GRAND NATIONAL, RACING AT AINTREE

BIGGER BUCKS NOW

Trainer Paul Nicholls was in a bullish mood after Big Bucks survived jumping errors to win the John Smith’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase by two and a quarter lengths from Battlecry. "He’s a hugely talented horse and, if he just gets his jumping together, he’ll be a very good horse," he said.
 
"We’ve got a lot of French horses and he’s the first one that I’ve had who is not a natural jumper," added the trainer. "When we bought him, Andy (Stewart - the owner) was wanting an Arkle horse but it was fairly obvious that Big Bucks wanted a trip. I also always thought that it was hard for a five-year-old going further earlier in the season and in hindsight we probably should have run him in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham. I just felt that if he jumped around today he would have a chance.
 
"At Cheltenham he actually ran a blinder because he was nearly brought down and then landed with his foot in a ditch. Nick Scholfield got off and said that this was the best horse he’d ever ridden and that he wanted three miles.
 
"That’s it for the season and it’s going to be interesting next year with him, Kauto Star, Denman and others. It’s a nice problem to have and we’ll look at some of the races in Ireland, I don’t want them to have to take each other on if we can help it.
 
"He’s had a busy season this year I don’t quite know what we will do next season but he has to go left handed. We’ll give him lots of time and I might give him a little run in a conditions hurdle just once to sharpen him up a bit and then go fo some of the staying chases."
 
Stewart added: "We knew he wouldn’t stay three miles at Chletenham with all the ups and downs, so we put him in the Jewson and he ran a reasonable race.
 
"We’ll have to do a lot of work with him and hopefully we’ll get the jumping spot on for next year. Ruby (Walsh) got off and said that in a few years’ time the horse could win a competitive Grade One."
 
Stewart will be represented by Turko in tomorrow’s John Smith’s Grand National and added: "It’s a big ask, it was 1916 when a six-year-old won the National and grey horses don’t win so we’ll have to see what happens."