William Buick

Waylaid for much of last year, Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) showed he is in a good place this Spring with a smooth winning return in the rescheduled G3 Gordon Richards S. very much a marker of his current wellbeing. Travelling strongly but always under William Buick's control tracking stablemate Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the early stages of the 10-furlong staging post moved to Newmarket from Sandown, the 2021 Derby and King George hero moved to the front passing two out and forged ahead to score by 2 1/2...

Newmarket's G2 Jockey Club S. is generally a tactical affair and Friday's renewal was no different as Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was able to boss another uninspiring renewal and bound back to form in no uncertain terms. Leaving connections pondering retirement after a no-show in Newbury's G3 John Porter S. last month, the 2021 Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger hero was understandably lacking believers as the 2-1 second favourite for this five-runner affair. With the even-money favourite West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) giving...

Godolphin's Castle Way (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}--Beach Frolic {GB}, by Nayef), successful in two of four juvenile outings last year, went postward for this early Derby trial coming back off an Oct. 19 handicap triumph over course and distance and stepped up to claim a career high in this black-type bow. Positioned second until inching to the front at halfway, he was shaken up passing the quarter-mile marker and maintained a high tempo under continued urging on the climb to the line to win with something in hand. Leading contender Waipiro (Ire)...

Following the withdrawal of last term's Listed Prix Pelleas winner Epic Poet (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Tuesday's G3 bet365 Earl Of Sefton S. at Newmarket became an all-gelding affair and it was Godolphin's first string Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Innevera {Fr}, by Motivator {GB}) who stepped forward to claim the Rowley Mile venue's first pattern-race contest of the year with an impressive closing burst. The Charlie Appleby trainee went postward boasting a two-from-three record at the track, which includes wins in last term's Listed Fairway S. and...

Charlie Appleby has revealed that the sole reason behind the 2021 Irish Derby and St Leger hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) staying in training as a five-year-old is to have a crack at winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.  Hurricane Lane, who was put through his paces at Newmarket racecourse on Tuesday morning ahead of his seasonal reappearance in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise S. at Newbury on Saturday, was third in the Arc as a three-year-old.  All systems go for Hurricane Lane to run @NewburyRacing on...

by Justin Stygles The racetrack can be a special place. In the last year alone, I've been fortunate enough to see some wonderful things, from talking with Barbara Livingston and Sarah Andrew at morning workouts, to watching William Buick win races at Newmarket's July Festival and again at Saratoga. I would argue that one of my most memorable days of racing was a reggae-filled afternoon during the Joe Hirsch Turf Invitational card last October at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. Until Saturday. The Winter Festival at Laurel Park was set...

Reappearing for the first time since his fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, last year's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational and GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) got his 2023 campaign off to a flyer with a comfortable success in Friday's G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan. The pick of William Buick of the Charlie Appleby duo and marginally the second favourite at 11-8 behind stablemate Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the homebred travelled notably strongly behind the leading pair throughout the early...

William Buick, who has already been crowned champion jockey in Britain for 2022, rounded off a sensational campaign in style by riding 200 British winners in a year for the first time. His 200th victory came at Southwell aboard the odds-on favourite Zealot (GB), trained by Michael Appleby.  Speaking on the Sky Sports Racing channel after the race, Buick said, "I said to Tony [Hind], my agent, six weeks ago when we had 31 winners to go that it was within reach. "Things didn't quite go to plan until today,...

For the second straight year, Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Appleby was honored with the Derby Award as 2022's champion flat trainer by the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA). The 47-year-old Appleby so far this year has been represented by 150 winners and 225 seconds from 478 starters-a 31 percent win rate-and his runners have earned £6,225,397. Among those victories were 18 European Group winners-three Group 1s-including a one-two finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas with Coroebus (Dubawi [Ire]) and Native Trail (Oasis Dream {GB}), a first victory for the...

If you decided to swallow the skinny-ish 6-5 about Godolphin's Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile, Sponsored by the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF) at Keeneland Saturday, hey--you actually got paid this time around. The striking chestnut, who exuded confidence and class throughout the week--as reported by TDN's Steve Sherack and Christie DeBernardis on site--steamed down the center of the Keeneland turf course once produced in upper stretch by William Buick and raced away for a second consecutive victory at the Breeders' Cup. Modern Games...

LEXINGTON, KY--Life in general, and life with horses in particular, simply doesn't dispense its favours with such an unstinting hand. Everybody understands that, and even an operation as lavishly resourced as Godolphin has over the years has experienced many moments of demoralization. Charlie Appleby and his team, moreover, will be perfectly aware that others must be expected in future. Before the afternoon was out, indeed, their second runner had been thwarted in a desperate finish by their rivals at Ballydoyle. By barely a nose, then, Appleby was denied a fifth...

LEXINGTON, KY--Godolphin's Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) started off the Breeders' Cup action on an unseasonably warm and picture perfect day at Keeneland Friday in style with a late-rallying victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Dispatched at 6-1 in this 5 1/2-furlong event, the homebred was off slowest of all, leaving him trailing the field early. Meanwhile Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) and previously unbeaten Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) sped out to the early lead, dueling through a :21.65 opening quarter. American Apple (American Pharoah), a 51-1...