RACING/AINTREE REPORT:THE IMPERIOUS Big Buck's created a slice of racing history at Aintree in the BGC Liverpool Hurdle yesterday – and it never looked in any doubt.

Andy Stewart’s nine-year-old won his 17th race in succession, one more than the legendary Sir Ken managed in the 1950s.

The Paul Nicholls-trained superstar was winning the Grade One event, the opening race of the John Smith’s Grand National meeting, for the fourth year in a row, adding to the four World Hurdles he has won at the Cheltenham Festival.

Big Buck’s also managed to win a novice chase at this meeting back in 2008, so was winning on Merseyside for the fifth straight year in all.

Gone are the days when Ruby Walsh used to look briefly in trouble with a famed ‘flat spot’, and he coasted round the three miles before beating Crack Away Jack, having his first run for Tom George, by nine lengths.

Smad Place, the second favourite, fell in the back straight, as did Restless Harry who brought down Won In The Dark. All horses and jockeys emerged unscathed.

Stewart said: “He seemed to be idling a little in front. Alan King’s horse (Smad Place) was right behind us until unfortunately he came to grief. I was glad to see them all get up.

“We take every race as it comes and we are totally flattered by the reception he has been given by everyone here. He hasn’t had an off-day since unseating in the Hennessy a few years ago.

“Undoubtedly (this win means the most), this is absolutely marvellous.

“Each win is very precious, but obviously to do 17 and go into the record books is very precious to us.

“It’s been very flattering. People have been coming up for my autograph – he’s more newsworthy than I am, but it’s a privilege. Next year he’ll go for the same programme and the Cleeve Hurdle as well.”

Nicholls said: “It was straightforward today. He jumped and travelled and did everything right. We’re happy with him.

“Now he’s got older it pays to give him a race between the Long Walk and Cheltenham, so the Cleeve is ideal. We’ll follow the same route.”

Walsh added: “The easy part is riding him. He’s an incredible horse. He’s skated in today. It wasn’t as competitive a race as Cheltenham.

“He’s bolted in and the last couple of years he’s been better here than at Cheltenham.

“We’re lucky we’ve never got to the bottom of him. He’s never been extended over hurdles. I would say there’s more there.”

The Irish-trained 50 to 1 chance Follow The Plan silenced both the Aintree crowd and some of Britain’s top chasers in the Betfred Bowl.

It was hard to remember a more muted reception for a Grade One winner at a major meeting — not that it mattered to trainer Oliver McKiernan or jockey Tom Doyle.

Follow The Plan had scraps of form which entitled him to take his place, taking third behind Nacarat in an inferior renewal a year ago and going on to lift a Punchestown Gold Cup in which there were only four finishers.

His efforts this season left a little to be desired against the likes of Ryanair winner Riverside Theatre, the rampantly progressive Hunt Ball and Gold Cup fourth Burton Port but he emerged three lengths better than the last-named after a wonderfully patient ride from Doyle.

Riverside Theatre, the 7 to 2 favourite, was pulled-up a long way from home and when Doyle had crept up the inside of Nacarat with two fences to jump, he stole an unassailable advantage over the strongly-ridden Burton Port.

Just before many runners had competed at Cheltenham, McKiernan’s nine-year-old was fourth in a handicap chase at Gowran Park. “Maybe he was a bit fresher than the others and the way he’d been working at home there was no reason to believe he’d not have a bit of a shout,” said the Co Dublin trainer, who also has a building business.

“The ground drying out also helped him. We followed the same plan as last year when he was third in this so I imagine we’ll go on to Punchestown with him.” Doyle added: “He’s not a horse that wants to be in front too soon but we ended up being there too soon. He jumped so well I had to.

“He’s been a good horse to me, that’s three Grade Ones he’s won and he probably hasn’t got the credit he deserves. He shouldn’t have been 50-1 anyway.”

On the day when the statue of the late Aintree legend Ginger McCain was unveiled, his son Donald sent out Cloudy Lane to win the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase over the famous green fences.