6 Unforgettable Moments From The 2014 Cheltenham Festival

6. Big Bucks Retires After Defeat In The World Hurdle, Annie Power Finishes 2nd The World Hurdle had been billed as a race between Big Bucks and Annie Power. Big Bucks was the returning superstar, with a young jockey in Sam Twiston-Davies aboard, Annie Power was the young unbeaten upstart who had Big Bucks' previous jockey Ruby Walsh in the seat. This was the first season where Ruby had spent much of the year in Ireland and not rode regularly in England for Big Bucks' trainer, Paul Nicholls. Big Bucks initially travelled well, but never quite had the energy and pace to stay up there with the younger horses. Jumping the last, the unbeaten, hyped, Irish mare Annie Power jumped alongside More Of That and pushed for victory as At Fishers Cross fell back into a comfortable 3rd place. As they approached the line, Annie Power's early keenness began to tell on the incline which allowed Barry Geraghty to again scored the big race victory as More of That remained unbeaten. As the celebrations began for the winner, Nicholls announced the retirement of his superstar horse and he was taken on a lap of the parade ring while his stable girl was in tears leading him around before the celebrations began for More of That.