Walsh goes nap with the help of accidental hurdler Big Buck's

BIG Buck's grabbed the cash for the Paul Nicholls team in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.

Yet the 6-1 winner would have stayed chasing had he not unseated Sam Thomas at the last in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November. He proved himself to be king of the staying hurdlers, though, with a battling victory over Punchestowns to give Ruby Walsh his fifth winner at the meeting.

A bad mistake at the final flight failed to hinder Big Buck's, who powered up the hill to beat Punchestowns by a length and three-quarters with hot favourite Kasbah Bliss only fourth.

"This horse has a huge engine, but he's quirky. When I got to Barry (Geraghty on Punchestowns], he came back on the bridle and I thought I'd get there too soon," said Walsh.

"He fluffed the last but I always knew I'd get him back."

Nicholls said: "I was very confident we had him at his peak and he looked fantastic. Probably making a mistake at the last didn't do him any harm and he wasn't in front too soon then – he just digs deep.

"We bought him to be a Gold Cup horse, and he just might be one day, but it could be in two years' time now." Owner Andy Stewart added: "I thought Paul was bonkers when he said Big Buck's was going to go hurdling."

Francois Doumen, trainer of Kasbah Bliss, said: "He was fairly and squarely beaten. I can't find an excuse."

Another odds-on shot, Voy Por Ustedes, was turned over in the Ryanair Chase, but Alan King's charge did well to finish second to Imperial Commander (6-1) after he made a bad mistake at the fourth-last.

Winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "I thought about the Gold Cup this year but just felt Kauto and Denman had it between them, but my horse will improve.

"I was a bit worried because he hadn't run for a long time and I thought they might catch him out, but he was brilliant and he could definitely come back next year for the Gold Cup.

"He just gallops and jumps and he kept pulling out more."

The winner's partner in the saddle, Paddy Brennan, added: Brennan added: "I opened my mouth after he won the Paddy Power when I said how good he was, and I'm just so glad he's proved me right.

"It's been a frustrating year but, I promise you, this is worth 40 winners. To win at Cheltenham is so exciting – you just take it all in."

Barry Simpson, racing manager to Voy Por Ustedes' owner Sir Robert Ogden, said: "He made one bad mistake at such a crucial time, just as the field was starting to quicken. He was travelling well enough but made that error. It's amazing he was able to stay up."

Nicholls had struck earlier with the David Johnson-owned Chapoturgeon (8-1), ridden by Timmy Murphy, in the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase.

Venetia Williams got in on the double act with wins from Kayf Aramis (16-1) in the Pertemps Final and Something Wells (33-1) in the Freddie Williams Plate, in which she also trained the runner-up, Ping Pong Sivola.

She then went close to a treble when her Pretty Star was beaten a length by John Quinn's Character Building (16-1) in the Fulke Walywn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

• Oliver Greenall was taken to hospital for tests after a nasty spill from Heathcliff on the flat towards the final turn of the Pertemps Final. The top point-to-point jockey is booked to repeat last year's Christie's Foxhunter success on Amicelli today but is reported to have suffered an abdominal injury.

JIM KEAN'S BIG RACE VERDICT:

The one they all want to get their hands on and as always, the Gold Cup is as intriguing a contest as ever. No horse has ever reclaimed the Blue Riband gold medal but Kauto Star will go off favourite to do so. Can he pull it off? After weeks of gloom, connections of Denman are belatedly sounding a bit more bullish about the champions' chances. Can he bounce back to form? Was Madison Du Berlais' defeat of Denman last time out a flash in the pan or is David Pipe's runner a genuine contender? Can Barbers Shop win for the Queen? Will NEPTUNE COLLONGES emerge from the shadow of his more illustrious stablemates, Kauto and Denman? How the hell do I know, but tune in to find out. It will be fascinating.