Tag Archive for: William Buick

Buick times Cover Up challenge to perfection

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William Buick may have lost his title to Oisin Murphy this season but he managed to get one over on his weighing room colleague when Cover Up pipped Jer Batt on the line in the Join Century Racing Club Today Handicap at Doncaster.

Having looked a promising sprinter earlier in the year on the all-weather – he was sent off favourite in the Sprint on Finals Day – he has failed to trouble the judge since, admittedly in some of the most competitive races of the season.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, he looked to have a mountain to climb in the closing stages as Murphy burst clear on Jer Batt, trained by David and Nicola Barron.

But Buick had timed it perfectly, getting the 10-1 shot home by a head with Solar Aclaim a length back in third.

The Godolphin-owned Cover Up has a date at the sales next week and could be heading for pastures new.

“I suppose he could be one for Dubai or something like that but let’s be honest, sprint handicappers are not usually Godolphin’s thing,” said John Gosden.

“He has raced this year but they don’t tend to hold on to horses like that.

“I don’t think that ground is his favourite and I think they went a bit quick up front in the ground and he enjoyed them coming back to him. He handles most ground.”

Laafi ridden by Callum Rodriguez on their way to winning
Laafi ridden by Callum Rodriguez on their way to winning (Mike Egerton/PA)

William Haggas fielded the 5-2 favourite The Reverend in the William Hill Proper Betting Handicap but he was his unconsidered 33-1 shot Laafi who came out on top.

Fitted with first-time blinkers and given a chance by the handicapper after several lifeless runs this season, Callum Rodriguez sent him clear of the field with well over a furlong to run.

Another outsider, 66-1 chance Iron Lion, burst out of the pack to give chase but could only get within a length and three-quarters.

Rodriguez teamed up with Haggas to win a Group Three at Ayr’s Western Meeting on Sky Majesty and has an impressive strike-rate when teaming up with the Newmarket handler.

“He’s proven in these conditions and he had first-time blinkers on today,” said Rodriguez.

“It was very straightforward, we hit the gates so I got a nice pitch and I got it easy in truth.

“I’ve been getting some nice opportunities this season, it’s been a brilliant season, high on numbers with some quality in there as well.”

James Owen had to settle for third with his stable star Wimbledon Hawkeye in the day’s feature, the Futurity Trophy, but he left Town Moor with a winner courtesy of Pellitory (7-2) in the Caseih & Paxtons Supply Tractors To Arc Nursery Handicap.

“We’ve always really liked him and he works with Wimbledon Hawkeye. He’s a big frame of a horse who we thought wanted stepping up in trip, but we were wrong as he over-raced,” said Owen.

“He switched off lovely today and he’s come home well, he’s a nice horse for the future, he might be one for something like the Britannia.”



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Buick lauds ‘international superstar’ Rebel’s Romance

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Rebel’s Romance showed plenty of spirit to regain the prestigious Preis von Europa trophy in Cologne.

Having settled his mount in fourth place early on, William Buick made a forward move on the turn for home and took over from Jessica Harrington’s front-runner Trevaunance two furlongs out.

Charlie Appleby’s charge quickly asserted his authority over most of the six-runner field but German outsider Straight followed him through and looked a big danger entering the closing stages.

However, Rebel’s Romance, who also prevailed here in 2022, dug deep to hold that rival at bay and battled to a neck victory in the Group One mile-and-a-half contest.

It was a 14th success in 21 starts for the Godolphin homebred, who had already struck at elite level this year in the Dubai Sheema Classic and Hong Kong’s Champions & Chater Cup.

Buick told German broadcaster
-+Wett Star: “It’s great to be back on Rebel’s Romance winning this race for the second time.

“He’s a real international superstar and today he showed what a tough horse he is.

“When we come to Germany, we always respect the local horses, it’s never easy, but I thought everything today went very well for him. The track was in good condition and we’re all very happy.

“The pace was pretty slow and he’s a horse who gets in his comfort zone; he would have been better off a stronger pace, but he’s a high-class horse and he knows how to win.

“He always finds enough, he always finds a way and he’s an admirable horse. He’s a great horse.”



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Monday Musings: The Jugglers

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The second Saturday in September illustrated how trainers and jockeys’ agents need to be expert jugglers at this time of year, writes Tony Stafford. We had the Irish Champion Stakes, worth a total €£1.15 million (€712k to the winner) and the Betfred St Leger, £830k and £421k to the winner, yet three UK champion jockeys were riding more than 3,000 miles away from either venue.

The trio - Oisin Murphy, William Buick and Frankie Dettori - all lined up in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes for 2yo fillies over a mile and worth £177k at the Woodbine racetrack in Toronto, Canada. Buick was on the 4/5 favourite for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, the dual early-season winner Mountain Breeze, but she could only manage eighth place.

Ahead of her were Murphy, fifth on 65/1 shot Ready To Battle, for dominant local trainer Mark Casse despite being the outsider of his trio; and Dettori was one place behind on the Christophe Clement filly Annascaul, the race second favourite.

He was the only one of our itinerant trio to have a ride in the next Graded race, the Ontario Matron (G3) on the Tapeta track. He finished fourth for Casse who again had three runners without securing the win.

Only five turned up for the E P Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares, run on the turf track. In the past the E P Taylor was a frequent target for UK and especially French runners. It honours the Canadian breeder Eddie Taylor. He stood Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Northern Dancer, the stallion who first tickled the fancy of Vincent O’Brien and led, with Robert Sangster and John Magnier’s help, to the legacy of Sadler’s Wells and, through him, to his even more influential son Galileo.

This year, the E P Taylor was a tame affair considering there was £266k for the winner. Oisin got a ride here but could do no better than fourth of five on Blush for French-based trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. All three of the visiting riders had been previous winners of the race.

Charlie Appleby and Andrew Balding staged a rematch from a Listed race on King George Day at Ascot in July, with Al Qudra, the winner of that race for Charlie and Will, going into the bet365 <they get in everywhere!> Summer Plate over a mile on the turf as favourite, having beaten New Century by just over two lengths then.

Here Oisin turned the form around on identical terms, winning by one and a quarter lengths from Al Qudra in another Grade 1 again worth £177k, as with the juvenile fillies earlier. The share of the spoils made Oisin’s awayday worthwhile and even in defeat Buick got his mitts on a portion of the 60 grand for second.

The principal reason for the Appleby/Godolphin attack was presumably the featured Rogers Woodbine Mile, with a hefty £355,000 to the winner. The Buick mount, Naval Power, was the 11/20 favourite but finished only fourth to a couple of Mark Casse runners, siphoning up between them a good deal more than half a million Canadian bucks. Naval Power had been a very close second on his previous start when Dettori had the mount in a valuable supporting race on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in early May.

If you feel sorry for Frankie, the pensioner (in jockey terms) started out the previous weekend looking forward to a hatful of Aidan O’Brien mounts at Kentucky Downs, but only Greenfinch, who finished fourth, ran, the others being withdrawn. But then, a week yesterday at the same track, May Day Ready won a £483k first prize and that was supplemented by a double at the same track on Wednesday. Dettori won the £238k Gold Cup with Limited Liability and then the Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational with Kathymarissa and another £720k.

His win prizes amounted to £1,323,000 over the week. No wonder he loves being in the US!

What did they miss while waiting for Saturday in Canada? At Doncaster there was an eighth St Leger win for Aidan O’Brien as the inexperienced and in some ways still green Jan Bruegel edged out Illinois in a thrilling tussle up the Doncaster straight. Both colts are by Galileo and at the final opportunity, his sons dominated yet another English Classic.

Impossible to separate in the market, it looked like a potential dead-heat in the race until Sean Levey, who started out life as an O’Brien apprentice before relocating to the UK, forced his mount’s head in front close to the line.

Behind in third and fourth, also locked together, were Deira Mile and Sunway who crossed the line only a nose apart. I thought it a mealy-mouthed decision by the stewards to turn the form around, denying Deira Mile’s ever-adventurous Ahmed Al Sheikh of Green Team Racing another placed run in the English Classics of which he is so enamoured.

Bay City Roller was a good winner of the Champagne Stakes that opened the card, but it might have been a different story had not Chancellor prematurely burst out of the gate. The Gosden colt, a smart scorer at the track last time, was third at Ascot in the race where Al Qudra beat New Century.

The raft of unlikely horse/trainer/jockey partnerships on this unusual day continued in the Portland Handicap, one of my favourite races with its intermediate sprint distance of around five and a half furlongs.

Here, the unluckiest horse in training, Peter Charalambous’s Apollo One, got the services of no less a partner than Christophe Soumillon. The Belgian, a multiple champion jockey in France, had just got his mount’s brave head in front of a gaggle of horses on the far side when the favourite American Affair flew down under the stands rail under Paul Mulrennan to beat him by a nose.

It was a notable win for Jim Goldie and, given the way he finished on Saturday, the Ayr Gold Cup in five days’ time must have its appeal. Peter Charalambous is adamant he would never ask Apollo One to run in the likely soft ground at Ayr, but it would be nice to think he would win a big sprint handicap before too long.

Over the past two seasons he has finished second in four big sprints, the Wokingham and Stewards’ Cup last year and the Stewards’ Cup and Portland in 2024. His total losing distance is barely two and a half lengths in those races.

Irish Champions Weekend featured a fine return to form by the slightly unpredictable but undeniably ultra-talented Auguste Rodin. He ran a great race in the Irish Champion Stakes but just failed to cope with the tenacious favourite Economics.

It had been a brave decision by William Haggas to resist running his colt in the Derby after his sensational <I use the word advisedly> Dante Stakes romp at York and, nicely rested, Haggas had given him an ideal warm-up run at Deauville last month for his main target here.

Economics came from some way back, as did Auguste Rodin. Tom Marquand sent his mount into the lead halfway up the short Leopardstown straight, when it appeared that Ryan Moore on the dual Derby winner was going marginally the easier, even getting his head in front in the last hundred yards. Economics, to his credit, pulled out extra and, despite battling all the way to the line, Auguste Rodin had to be content with an honourable second place.

The path for both horses is set in stone. Economics will now go to the Qipco Champion Stakes for what will be only his sixth career start. Auguste Rodin has the Breeders’ Cup Turf, which he won last year, as his autumn objective.

Just behind in third and fourth were the Japanese horse Shin Emperor, who should make a bold attempt at being the first from Japan to win the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, and fast-finishing Los Angeles, who probably would have fully extended his two stablemates at Doncaster.

His range of entries, from the Champion Stakes (ten furlongs) at Ascot to the British Champion Long Distance Cup (two miles) the same day and, a fortnight earlier, the Arc over one mile and a half reflect his untapped potential and versatility. I’d go the stayers’ route if he were mine – wishful thinking in the extreme!

Yesterday, Messrs Buick and Murphy made it back to the Curragh for the second day of the Irish Champions Weekend. They might not have won as they rode respectively Vauban and Giavellotto into second and third in the Irish St Leger, but at least they got a close-up view of the remarkable Kyprios.

Aidan O'Brien's six-year-old entire was taking his earnings past £2 million with an authoritative performance under Ryan Moore. It was Kyprios' 13th win in 17 career starts. After last year's injury problems and a curtailed season of only two second places, he has now repeated the same first five victories of his unbeaten four-year-old campaign and in the same  races.

That year (2022) he ended the season with victory in the Prix Du Cadran over two and a half miles - by twenty lengths! If he goes there and wins in three weeks it would be a double unbeaten six-timer, four of them at Group 1 level, surely a record, and one that will be exceptionally difficult to match in the future. He deserves to be regarded as at least the equal of Yeats as a stayer. Many will think him superior.

- TS



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Hallasan shades tough battle to claim valuable victory

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Hallasan continued his upward trajectory by claiming a lucrative success in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster.

Charlie Appleby’s youngster was a beaten favourite on his first three starts, but was placed on each occasion and rewarded those who kept the faith when opening his account in some style at Nottingham in July.

The gelded son of Pinatubo was a 15-2 shot on his return from a mid-season break and quickened up smartly to grab the lead inside the final two furlongs under a positive ride from William Buick.

Ryan Moore produced 11-4 favourite Camille Pissarro with what looked like a winning run shortly afterwards but try as he might, he could never quite get on terms with Hallasan, who the judge confirmed had clung on by a nose after the pair flashed by the post almost as one.

“He dug really deep. He’s sort of been in front a long time, but he kept responding and I’m delighted with him,” Buick said of the winner.

“He’s a horse who showed plenty of ability early on and he might just be fulfilling it now.

“He may get seven (furlongs), although he is a sharp horse. It’s a lovely race to win, he hadn’t run for a while before today, so he’s obviously improving at the right time of year.”

Appleby’s assistant Alex Merriam added: “Will was very pleased with him, he’s toughed it out well and showed plenty of speed.

“He’s a small horse and we thought he was going to be an early one, but actually he’s just taken a little while to come to himself.

“He’s obviously a Pinatubo, so it’s nice for us to win a nice race with one of his.

“I’ve just spoken to Charlie and he said he thought he might be a nice horse to take to Dubai.”



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Power-ful Woodbine raiding party for Appleby and Buick

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Naval Power spearheads a strong Charlie Appleby contingent in Canada this weekend, where he will be running in the Woodbine Mile.

Both his partner William Buick and Oisin Murphy, who is heading out to ride New Century at the meeting for Andrew Balding and his Qatar Racing bosses, are missing Doncaster and Leopardstown on Saturday.

The pair will be back to ride at the Curragh on Sunday, however.

Naval Power finished runner-up in two American Grade Ones in the spring and he leads the Godolphin team this weekend.

“The Woodbine Mile is a competitive race but Naval Power is a horse who has had a bit of a break now and had a good run in Churchill Downs, where he just got beat by Program Trading and that was a very good run. Everything will suit him at Woodbine,” said Buick.

Also in the same race is last year’s impressive Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Big Rock for trainer Maurizio Guarnieri.

Big Rock was an easy winner at Ascot on Champions Day
Big Rock was an easy winner at Ascot on Champions Day (John Walton/PA)

“Big Rock is improving. He had a hard season last year and at two but a lighter year this year has helped. Any rain would be a positive,” said the handler.

In the E.P. Taylor Stakes, Appleby and Buick run Cinderella’s Dream, a filly who has only lost once, in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, in seven starts.

With two victories already on the board stateside, Buick said: “She’s done very well in America and arrives there in good form.”

In the Grade One Summer Stakes for two-year-olds, Appleby runs Al Qudra, who will be taking on Balding’s recent Stonehenge Stakes winner New Century once more after the pair met at Ascot in July.

“New Century has arrived in Canada. It’s a long journey but he’s travelled extremely well,” said Balding.

“He’s one of those horses with exactly the right type of attitude and constitution to do some traveling, so hopefully he’ll bring his ‘A’ game to Woodbine on Saturday.

“I think the turning mile should suit him well. Al Qudra was very impressive at Ascot but we have got an extra furlong on Saturday. It was a smallish field and a slightly falsely run race, so we’re hoping that a truly run mile will be to our advantage.

“He has learned and improved with every run. My feeling is that the Stonehenge was a particularly good performance because he had to make the running in a small field, which wasn’t ideal. The form has been franked by Luther.”



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Holloway Boy makes long-awaited return to winner’s enclosure

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Holloway Boy secured his first victory since making a successful debut at Royal Ascot over two years ago in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile at Haydock.

Karl Burke’s four-year-old made an explosive start to his career when running out a shock 40-1 winner of the 2022 Chesham Stakes, but while he has been placed in good company on numerous occasions since, he had failed to add to his tally.

Returning to Group Three company after being on the podium in lucrative handicaps Sandown, Goodwood and York this summer, Holloway Boy was a 7-2 shot to snap a 12-race losing streak and travelled strongly for much of the race in the hands of William Buick.

Prague, the 100-30 favourite, came from the rear of the field to throw down his challenge and encountered traffic problems along the way.

Dylan Cunha’s runner got rolling late, but having navigated his way to the front a furlong out, Holloway Boy had just enough up his sleeve to repel the market leader by half a length, with Witch Hunter only a head further behind in third.

“He’s a very talented horse, always has been, but he does just save a bit for himself. You could see in the last half-furlong there he was pulling up a bit,” said Burke.

“He’s been running really well in big handicaps. He’s been travelling well and then petering out inside the last half-furlong and not quite getting there, so I said to William today ‘if you’re travelling well three down, go and let him get his head in front’ – and I’m so glad he didn’t listen!

“William came in and said he’s a horse who wants something to aim at. He doesn’t down tools, but he’s a lazy horse and he’s like that at home.

“We went the route of big-money handicaps and it didn’t quite happen, so we were looking for this type of race and it’s worked out.

“I’m not sure where we’ll go next, to be honest. He’ll go on any ground, so he’ll run right the way through and I might look at travelling abroad to Dubai or Saudi – he’s that type of horse you could go anywhere with.”



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Vauban on Melbourne Cup trail again after Lonsdale win

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Vauban repelled the late thrust of Al Nayyir to open his account for the season in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York.

The 2022 Triumph Hurdle winner has reverted to the Flat with notable success over the past couple of seasons, winning at Royal Ascot and at Group Three level last summer before disappointing as a hot favourite for the Melbourne Cup in November.

He returned this term with a runner-up finish to Giavellotto in the Yorkshire Cup in May and travelled like a possible winner of the Gold Cup in June before his stamina ebbed away in the latter stages.

The six-year-old again let down favourite backers in last month’s Curragh Cup, but bounced back to his best on the Knavesmire to tee himself up for a potential return to Australia later in the year.

After being settled in midfield for much of the two-mile contest, the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut was travelling better than anything racing inside the three final furlongs and soon quickened up smartly to grab the lead in the hands of William Buick.

With market principals Point Lonsdale and Gregory weakening out of contention after forcing the pace, 11-2 chance Vauban looked home for all money, but Al Nayyir finished with a real rattle on his first start for Tom Clover and was just a short head behind at the line.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 10-1 from 14-1 to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington at the second time of asking on November 5.

Owner Rich Ricci said: “The ticket for Australia is not quite booked, but it has been our intention all season and we said we’d work back from the Melbourne Cup.

“I don’t know what Willie wants to do next, he’s got an entry in the Irish St Leger but Melbourne still remains the plan, we’ll see what the handicapper does.

“He was very good today, he was ready to rock, he looked a picture and showed a great turn of foot.

Sky Bet Ebor Festival – York Racecourse – Friday August 23rd
Vauban wins the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup (Mike Egerton/PA).

“William thought he probably got there a little too soon, but he also said he was idling a bit in front.

“I wanted to see him run through the line today because I’ve had my niggles about the trip and he got it – just! That’s brilliant.

“Willie called me before the race and that does not happen very often unless there is something wrong. He said we had no excuse today and thought he’d go very close.

“His first run this year here (at York) was great, he ran a huge race in the Gold Cup but he just didn’t stay and then at the Curragh it probably came a bit soon.

“We learned a lot from Australia last year; we did things different than in the past, we’d always gone in the second shipment and run later than he did. I just said to the team, ‘let’s start with Melbourne, let him tell us he’s not able to go and work back from that’.

“His two targets were the Gold Cup and today and I guess he’ll go in the second shipment again.”

Regarding the 33-1 runner-up, Clover commented: “He’s a new horse for us, but he shaped up well in his home work and we were looking forward to running him.

Sky Bet Ebor Festival – York Racecourse – Friday August 23rd
Trainer Tom Clover has high hopes for Al Nayyir (Mike Egerton/PA).

“We couldn’t quite believe the price he was, he has some very good form and he’s got a very high rating.

“He has (run to his mark), he had one blip perhaps last time out, but his run in Dubai was very, very good. He’s a very good horse by a very good sire and hopefully he can go one better very soon.

“Not too sure (what next), we have him in a couple of places; one in France and obviously one on Champions Day, so we will have to discuss with the owners.

“He was very resolute, he saw the race out very strong and hopefully he’s a horse we can think about travelling with in the winter. It would be lovely if he can get his head in front in Group company first.”

John Gosden was far from downbeat about Gregory’s third-place effort, stating: “Really happy with him, he ran a super race. He probably could have dealt with some pace in front of him, he stays so well.

“I’m very happy with him, but we’d expected someone quick to go on, so he ended up doing the work in front. He’s run a solid race.

“We might put him away for the Cadran, we will see what the ground is, as he does like the ground on top.

“We will see what we get, if it’s bottomless then we might wait for next year.”



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Nations Pride stars in Arlington Million

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The globetrotting Nations Pride added a fourth Group One victory to his burgeoning CV when landing the Arlington Million at Colonial Downs on Sunday.

Charlie Appleby’s five-year-old won twice as a juvenile before launching his three-year-old career with a valuable win at Meydan and following it up with Listed success at Newmarket.

He disappointed in the 2022 Derby at Epsom, finishing eighth behind Desert Crown, but has since enjoyed a rich run of success overseas – claiming his first three Group One wins in the Saratoga Derby, the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Germany and the Canadian International at Woodbine.

Having been placed in the Man O War Stakes and the Manhattan Stakes on American soil earlier in the year, the son of Teofilo was a hot favourite to open his account for the campaign in the Arlington Million and settled well in the middle of the pack as Sugoi set the pace at the head of the field.

William Buick produced Nations Pride on the outside as they rounded the home turn and he quickened up smartly to beat Integration by a length and three-quarters, with the Charlie Hills-trained Ancient Rome just half a length further away in third.

William Buick smiles after winning on Nations Pride
William Buick was delighted with the victory of Nations Pride (David Davies/PA)

Buick told Godolphin’s website: “Nations Pride is a very good horse. He is very uncomplicated and does exactly what you like. He is a pleasure to ride.

“He has taken so well to North American racing. A mile and a quarter is probably his best trip, although he can stretch out to an easy mile and a half.

“We will see what Charlie and the team does with him next.”



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Buick in no doubt Notable Speech and the Sussex Stakes was sport out of the top drawer

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William Buick was happy to heap praise on Notable Speech after likening his Qatar Sussex Stakes win to sporting excellence of the highest order.

Charlie Appleby’s Dubawi colt had an unconventional path to the 2000 Guineas, running three times on the all-weather at Kempton and arriving at Newmarket having never raced on turf before.

Still, he had done enough to earn the confidence of Buick and the rider went into the Classic regarding his mount as a far greater threat than his starting price of 16-1 would suggest.

His faith proved to be well placed when Notable Speech won by a length and a half from Rosallion, but when the two met again in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot it was the latter horse who really shone.

The Guineas winner could only finish seventh and left both Buick and Appleby scratching their heads when no obvious explanation surfaced, meaning they simply had to regroup for the rematch when both horses were declared for the Sussex Stakes.

Notable Speech and William Buick after victory in the Sussex Stakes
Notable Speech and William Buick after victory in the Sussex Stakes (Andrew Matthews/PA)

A respiratory infection ruled Rosallion out of the eagerly-anticipated clash and denied fans the head-to-head they had been anticipating, but Buick felt Notable Speech’s length-and-a-half triumph from Maljoom was a sporting feat in itself.

He said: “I rode in Kingman’s Sussex when he won (in 2014). There were only four runners, but I watched him from behind accelerate. I never like to compare horses, but you could visually see his acceleration. That was amazing to watch.

“I am on this horse’s back and I might be biased, but he has done something similar. It was instant. In that level of race, at the type of pace they are going at already, to have another gear or even two? It’s a rarity.

“Of course it takes your breath away. I’m privileged to be in the position I am in, but this is what we do it for – the big days.”

While the world is captivated by the Olympic feats happening in Paris, Buick feels it is horses like Notable Speech who provide racing with the same sporting drama on the racecourse.

“This, in my opinion, is how we will draw an outside crowd into racing,” he said.

“To watch excellence, to watch a real good race when top horses are battling it out. I’d buy into this all day long. I stuck my neck out after Newmarket about him and after Ascot we had to regroup. But here we are again.

“You are watching excellent sport – this is Wimbledon, this is the Ryder Cup and the Champions League. This is the highest echelon of our sport.”



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Aomori City shows his class with Vintage display

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A step up to seven furlongs proved right up Aomori’s City’s street as the promising colt powered home to land the HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

A comfortable winner on his Nottingham debut in mid-June, the Oasis Dream colt was last seen finishing third behind Aidan O’Brien’s Whistlejacket over six furlongs in the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket.

In the absence of Whistlejacket’s stablemate The Parthenon, Aomori City was a 2-1 favourite to get back on the winning trail on the Sussex Downs and ultimately did so in some style under William Buick.

After sitting on the tail of the pacesetting Cool Hoof Luke for much of the way, Charlie Appleby’s youngster quickened up smartly when the gap came to grab the lead inside the final furlong and he passed the post with a length and three-quarters in hand over the staying-on Wolf Of Badenoch.

“He’s quite a hardy horse and he had to be there because we had to fight for our position around the turn and this fella was brave,” said Buick.

“Once we got into the slipstream of Oisin (Murphy, on Cool Hoof Luke), it was just a matter of getting out and this fella picked up instantly and won going away.

“He will stay a mile, whenever he needs to. For now seven furlongs is a good trip for him.

“He’s come through the ranks this horse and Charlie was adamant that seven furlongs would suit him.”

Appleby was claiming the Group Two prize for a second time, having previously struck gold with star juvenile Pinatubo in 2019.

Aomori City pulls clear of his rivals in the Vintage Stakes
Aomori City pulls clear of his rivals in the Vintage Stakes (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“He’s a horse that we felt coming into the race on the evidence of the July Stakes, stepping up to seven would suit,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“He’s cut it at a decent level there, that was a marked improvement and he’s a horse that’s neat. He had to be brave there, he got tight enough on the turns and there’s no harm in educating him towards the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Turf).

“When you watch him at home, he’s not a work horse. In the past couple of weeks we’ve had horses who are working over him, like Al Qudra and a couple of maidens, but they are working out at a decent level themselves, so he’s not doing much wrong.

“In the pecking order he’s doing what he’s doing. I’m not saying he’s just going to be a two-year-old but he’s neat, he’s professional and he knows what he is now so we’ll just keep pressing on.

“He’s a very straightforward horse. He’s always been a christian of a horse and very professional.”

Aomori City was given an introductory quote of 33-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas by Paddy Power.

Hugo Palmer trains Vintage Stakes runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch
Hugo Palmer trains Vintage Stakes runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch (Mike Egerton/PA)

Hugo Palmer was thrilled with the performance of runner-up Wolf Of Badenoch, who won on his only previous outing at Doncaster.

“I am absolutely delighted. He still looks like a work in progress. He was the first one off the bridle and ultimately the winner just got first run on him,” said the trainer.

“He is a horse with a really exciting future and he will stay a mile this year. His dam stayed a mile and three-quarter and he might get a mile and a quarter next year.

“He has some nice entries. We put him in the Group One National Stakes in Ireland and we will put him in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere as well now.”

Andrew Balding said of the third placed Cool Hoof Luke: “It was a good effort. Seven furlongs is probably stretching him at this moment in time so we will probably drop him back to six furlongs for the remainder of the season. Something like the Mill Reef Stakes is possible for him.”



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Ruling Court creates big impression with smart debut win

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Ruling Court shot straight to the top of the ante-post market for next year’s 2000 Guineas with a devastating display on debut at Sandown.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation, connections went to €2.3million at the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale earlier in the year to secure the exciting son of Justify.

Sent off the 4-9 favourite for the Martin Densham & Peter Deal Memorial British EBF Maiden Stakes the same team landed with Arabian Crown 12 months ago – and has also been won by the likes of Nostrum and Classic ace Kameko in recent years – he obliged with the minimum of fuss in the hands of William Buick.

Sent to the front with the one-furlong marker approaching, he scorched five and a half lengths clear of his nearest pursuer in the closing stages to earn quotes of 12-1 for both the 2000 Guineas and Derby from Paddy Power and Betfair.

Ruling Court stormed to victory in the hands of William Buick
Ruling Court stormed to victory in the hands of William Buick (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Buick told Racing TV: “He will have learned plenty today. He didn’t jump all that well, which you can forgive any horse running first time, but it was a nice, smooth performance and hopefully he can progress from here.

“I kind of passed a load of horses in a short space of time and probably got there sooner than I expected. It is always hard to read horses when they run for the first time, but he’s shown a good level at home and has brought it to the track.

“He’s got plenty of pace, so seven furlongs for now is optimal and he will get a mile when needed.”

Favourite backers got off to a winning start when Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Lil Guff (100-30) struck readily in the opening Do Not Miss Live Music Nights Handicap with Oisin Murphy in the plate.

Lil Guff winning the opener
Lil Guff winning the opener (Andrew Matthews/PA)

William Muir and Chris Grassick’s Spaceport did not go unsupported at 13-2 in the George Lindon-Travers Memorial Handicap, while there was a taking display from John and Thady Gosden’s Enrico Caruso (9-1), who made it a winning handicap debut in the Aspen Insurance Handicap.

The four-year-old son of Roaring Lion now has two wins from four starts and winning rider Robert Havlin said: “He was slowly away and hit every bump down the back side.

“He’s a work in progress still but the further we were going, the better he was going – and in amongst horses, he kind of started coming good. Then up the hill, he kind of organised himself before running around a bit like his dad used to do.

“He was strong enough at the line and is lightly raced, so let’s hope he can improve again.”

There was also a popular winner of the last as the Clive Washbourne-owned Laura Bay (9-4 favourite) landed the concluding Racing Welfare Fillies’ Handicap for trainer David Menuisier.



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Buick relishing Rebel’s Romance going for King George gold

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William Buick is backing the globetrotting Rebel’s Romance run a big race in his bid to further an “already glittering” CV in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Charlie Appleby’s six-year-old has won 13 of his 19 career starts, a record which includes victories in no less than six different countries.

In 2022 he enjoyed back-to-back Group One triumphs in Germany before taking out the Breeders’ Cup Turf in America, while 2024 has already yielded big-race wins in Qatar, Dubai and Hong Kong.

Rebel’s Romance is five from five in Britain, and while he has plenty on his plate on what will be his first start on domestic turf in almost exactly two years, Buick is expecting a bold showing.

“He’s been a top horse from when he was a three-year-old,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“Obviously he’s had an extraordinary year so far this year, but it’s easy to forget that he is a Breeders’ Cup Turf winner. That was a couple of years ago, but he’s a very good horse and at the age of six he’s arguably better than ever.

“Charlie and the team have done a fantastic job with him. Charlie was very clear in his campaign this winter – he found a very good opportunity for him at Kempton, where he had a nice confidence booster, he really made the most of that and took his travelling really well.

“He started off in Qatar, then to Dubai and then to Hong Kong. I saw him when he got back from Hong Kong and he looked even better than when he went there, so he’s taken it really well and I’m just thrilled that he’s being given his chance in this country now.”

Coral reported support for both Rebel’s Romance and Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking on Tuesday afternoon, trimming both from 7-2 from 4-1 behind their 5-4 favourite Auguste Rodin.

The latter disappointed behind Rebel’s Romance in the Dubai Sheema Classic earlier in the year, but showed his true colours in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and Buick is intrigued to see how his mount fares against him back in the UK.

He added: “He’s a little bit hard to measure up against some of the horses here. He’s actually unbeaten in this country, but he’s never raced at Group One level, so it is a little bit hard to measure him up.

“If you go off the form of his Sheema Classic win, that’s absolutely out of the top drawer. Obviously Auguste Rodin didn’t perform to his best that day and we’ve seen a much better horse since.

“I think it’s fascinating and it’s a race he certainly deserves to take his chance in. It would be lovely to add to his already glittering CV.”

Rebel's Romance after his victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf
Rebel’s Romance after his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (PA)

Buick continued: “The King George is a midsummer highlight. The Derby winner always used to turn up, as obviously Adayar did, and the three-year-olds are always the main dangers in the King George as the weight allowance probably sways in their favour if they are of that calibre.

“Sunway is obviously a three-year-old and is going to get a lot of weight so it’s going to be interesting, but it’s a good King George, as you would always expect it to be.

“He wouldn’t want soft ground – he’s a top of the ground horse and a good mover, so if the forecast stays as it’s supposed to do I think that should suit everybody.

“Don’t forget he’s a UAE Derby winner on dirt as a three-year-old, so he’s a pretty versatile horse.”



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Mill Stream edges out Swingalong to grab July Cup glory

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Hot favourite Inisherin could finish only fifth as Mill Stream emerged triumphant in the My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket.

Following a stunning display in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month, the Kevin Ryan-trained Inisherin was all the rage to beat his elders for the first time as the 11-8 market leader, but things did not go to script.

Art Power took the 11-strong field along for much of the six-furlong contest, closely pursued by Swingalong, and the latter had poked her head in front by the time she reached the final furlong.

In a race that turned into something of a scrap, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s 11-1 shot Mill Stream – third in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting – was produced with a well-timed challenge on the far side of the track by William Buick, swooping late to deny Swingalong by a neck.

Vandeek, who suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Inisherin in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock in May before missing the rematch in the Commonwealth Cup owing to an unsatisfactory scope, shaped with plenty of encouragement in third.

Art Power boxed on to finish fourth ahead of the slightly disappointing Inisherin in fifth.

Chapple-Hyam said: “We were doing cartwheels when it rained, as it just took the sting out of the ground midweek. I think that is all he needs. He came here for a little bit of practice the other day.

“He’s never sparkling in his work, he just gets there but that’s him and as long as we know that, and William knows that, it’s fine, but he’s done it now, he’s got the Group One.

“You knew there was going to be a lot of speed and when they were doing 10 and change at halfway and he was sat in behind, I just knew he’d pick up and I’m thrilled.

Mill Stream just got the better of Swingalong
Mill Stream just got the better of Swingalong (Nigel French/PA)

“He likes it here, he’s been second here, so it’s nice to turn it round and get the win and he ran well at Ascot in third on very quick ground there.

“It’s nice to win here with it being my home track and my favourite track.

“I’m a very lucky lady to have Peter Harris as an owner, he knows the game and he believes in the horse too, so it’s good. It’s nice to join him and Gai (Waterhouse, who Chapple-Hyam had a winner for earlier in the day with Asian Daze) as a Group One-winning trainer.

“Peter has a good team in the yard, he supports them and he supports me, so to go and win a Group One for him, that’s what he wants and what the yard needs, so it’s good.

“He likes three weeks between races if you look back, so we’ll go to Deauville next for the Prix Maurice de Gheest, he’ll love the six and a half furlongs there – as a young horse, he got six there very well, so six-and-a-half, bring it on!”

Buick was completing a four-timer on the day after he previously enjoyed a treble for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby courtesy of Desert Flower, First Conquest and Ancient Truth.

The dual champion jockey was also securing the 100th Group One win of his stellar riding career.

He said: “He has been such a good horse for me this season. He is a Duke of York winner and ran well at Royal Ascot. We felt he had a bit more to give and Jane and the team convinced me he was a much better horse today – he duly was.

“That bit of rain really suited him and I was always so comfortable. He is really genuine and puts his head out. It was well deserved.

“This is my first July Cup and I’m absolutely thrilled.”



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Ancient Truth stays on well for Superlative strike

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Ancient Truth enhanced his growing reputation by providing trainer Charlie Appleby with a fifth victory in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.

Since breaking his duck with Boynton in 2016, the Moulton Paddocks handler has saddled a trio of subsequent Group One winners to land this Group Two prize in Quorto (2018), Master Of The Seas (2020) and Native Trail (2021).

A son of Dubawi, who also won the Superlative in 2004, Ancient Truth had looked a smart prospect in winning his first two starts on the two different Newmarket tracks and was a 4-6 favourite to complete his hat-trick in the hands of William Buick.

After initially being settled in fifth of the six runners, the youngster made his move racing inside the final couple of furlongs and was soon in front without being asked for maximum effort.

Buick resorted to his whip to make sure of victory late on, with Seagulls Eleven running a fine race to emerge best of the rest, but Ancient Truth was well on top as he passed the post with a length and a half in hand.

Appleby and Buick were completing a treble on the card following the triumphs of Desert Flower and First Conquest earlier in the afternoon.

Coral cut Ancient Truth’s odds for next year’s 2000 Guineas to 16-1 from 25-1.

“I’m delighted, he’s still learning and learning plenty. I couldn’t see any pace in the race, so I did say to William we might have to make our own running and see where we are,” said Appleby.

“But William made the right decision in trying to get some cover. There was a bit of pace but when the pace collapsed, he almost had to take him back to come round, so full credit to the horse.

“There’s improvement still to come, he appreciated the ground and he’s going the right way.

“Shane Fetherstonhaugh rides him and he’s ridden enough good horses of ours for me to trust him. Coming into the first run, he said he wasn’t quite happy but he ran and won. Going into the second, he still wasn’t quite happy and he went and won, but this morning he said he was delighted, so I said I was a bit nervous!

“He’s a horse I feel a mile will be his maximum and we will definitely work back from the Guineas.”

He went on: “I’ve just spoken to William, we’ll let the horse settle down and make a decision as a collective, but our previous winners of this have tended to go on to the National Stakes in Ireland and that has worked quite well.

“One thing I did feel, he’s happier with a bit of cut in the ground, he hung a little bit on quick ground on his first two starts. He looked happier today.

“He’s up there in our pecking order. If I was to say he’d come to life the last six weeks, I’d be telling fibs, he’s always been up there and I’d have been disappointed if the horse had got beaten today.”



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Ancient Wisdom makes all to enhance St Leger prospects

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Ancient Wisdom bounced back from Derby disappointment with a front-running victory in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.

A Group One-winning two-year-old in last season’s Futurity Trophy, Charlie Appleby’s charge finished second in the Dante at York on his reappearance to tee himself up for a tilt at the premier Classic at Epsom last month, but could finish only eighth.

Stepping up in trip but down in grade for this one-mile-five-furlong Group Three, the Dubawi colt was a 6-4 favourite in the hands of William Buick, who sent his mount straight to the lead and committed for home with over two furlongs to run.

Royal Supremacy briefly loomed up looking a major threat under Oisin Murphy, but Ancient Wisdom dug deep against the rail once challenged to see him off by a length and three-quarters.

Space Legend, runner-up to the impressive Calandagan in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, this time failed to land a blow, trailing home last of four.

“He was the Group One winner in the race and we were always confident about the ground and the trip,” said Appleby.

“William went out there and gave him a positive ride which was always our gameplan and it is great to get this horse’s head back in front.

Ancient Wisdom and William Buick on their way to victory
Ancient Wisdom and William Buick on their way to victory (Joe Giddens/PA)

“He ran a creditable race in the Dante, but we always felt Dante to Epsom might be just short enough. Since then he has done well and had a nice preparation and we were quietly confident coming into today.”He ran well in the Dante but he wasn’t hardened for the Dante in the respects to fitness, therefore going Dante-Derby was always on the edge. We were a bit unfortunate in the spring and our Derby team was dwindling by the week and he had to take up the baton.

“He’s a straightforward horse and they always just like to go out and gallop. Will has give him a great ride. You see when he switched his leads, he did it so effortlessly and once I saw that, I knew he would let himself down because he was enjoying himself.

“The others had to quicken and then stay, we we’re already in the right gear and they had to try and get us.”

Paddy Power cut the winner’s odds for the St Leger at Doncaster to 10-1 from 20-1.

Appleby added: “It was always our plan to come here with the ground it was looking to be and then head to the Great Voltigeur and then the St Leger, it’s a well-trodden route.

“He is very much an autumn campaign horse though, so at no point would we jeopardise that on anything quicker than good ground. If it was quick ground at York, I definitely wouldn’t head to the Voltigeur.

“I was impressed and I still think this horse isn’t there yet, he’s coming and he’s not 100 per cent. I was very impressed knowing there is improvement under the bonnet still.

“If Doncaster is as it is normally at that time of year, I would like to think he would have a live chance.”



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