Paul Nicholls has paid tribute to the brilliant four-time Stayers' Hurdle winner Big Buck's who has died at the age of 23.
One of the greatest staying hurdlers of all time, Nicholls campaigned the son of Cadoudal to 18 consecutive victories at his peak as his contemporaries failed to lay a glove on him.
Thought of as a Gold Cup prospect in the Kauto Star and Denman era when purchased from France by owner Andy Stewart, the giant Big Buck's was switched to hurdles after unseating Sam Thomas at the final fence in the Hennessy.
It proved an inspired move by Nicholls, sparking the incredible 18-race winning sequence which only ended after he returned from injury in 2014.
He retired that March after finishing fifth in the Stayers' Hurdle bidding for his fifth win in the race and he enjoyed a long and happy retirement off the track until his death on Friday.
WATCH: Big Buck's lands his fourth Stayers' Hurdle in 2012
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The trainer told Sporting Life: “It’s very sad but he had a wonderful life and old age just caught up with him. He had a great second half to his life, he had a great racing life and has been a wonderful horse to a lot of people.
“He turned up for World Hurdles, Long Walks, Aintree Hurdles, for four years he was wonderful. He was next door here to Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded, Neptune Collonges, they were all fantastic horses.”
Of the decision to revert back to hurdles after the 2008 Hennessy, the trainer added: “I know he won a couple of times over fences but he didn’t jump them particularly well and when he unseated Sam that day, Andy said ‘I want Ruby (Walsh) to ride him’. I said Ruby isn’t getting off Kauto so you’re in trouble there. Why don’t we try something different, have a season hurdling and perhaps come back chasing in the future?
“He said ‘well I think you’re barmy but you’re in charge and do what you think is best’. So, he went to Cheltenham for a handicap hurdle on New Year’s Day, won, and didn’t stop winning afterwards. It was 18 on the trot. At the top level, too. He was such a wonderful horse.
“And it was great for Andy too who put so much into racing. He deserved this horse. He loved him. It was great to have a superstar horse for him and his family.”
And despite competing in a different discipline, Nicholls says Big Buck’s was every bit as talented as his equally high-profile neighbours of the time.
“He had ability right up to the level of all of those big names but he didn’t jump well enough over fences and if you don’t jump well enough you’re not going to win the biggest races. But the ability was there, of course it was. We saw that back over hurdles.
“All of his victories stand out to me but the day he won the fourth World Hurdle, that was fantastic. To see him do that, I was lucky to have him. Andy loved every minute it and shared it with everybody and it was a great time for us.
“He’s probably one of the best staying hurdlers ever. I was trying to think has there ever been a better one? I don’t think there has. He was unbelievable and we never got to the bottom of him really. He had that style of racing when you thought he was beat but then he’d prick his ears again and only just do enough in front.
“I think he helped bring new fans into the sport. People loved him, he was every bit as popular as Kauto and Denman.”