William Buick is making a late decision over which Charlie Appleby-trained colt to ride in Saturday's Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
He has the choice between Middle Park and Dewhurst winner Shadow Of Light and the 2.3m euro breeze-up buy Ruling Court who has the benefit of a run at Meydan in March, when he ran out a ready winner of a Listed contest.
Speaking in his role as Ambassador for The Jockey Club’s East Region, the jockey said: "I haven’t made a decision yet as to what I will ride in the Betfred 2000 Guineas.
"Obviously both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court are in the race. Shadow Of Light is a champion two-year-old and Dewhurst winner so it’s an obvious race for him to go for. Ruling Court is a horse we don’t know as much about but he won the Guineas in Dubai on Super Saturday when he couldn’t have done any more.
"Charlie and I feel they both deserve to be in the Betfred 2000 Guineas. It is a hugely important race and going to be hugely competitive. There are horses in there that have run in and won trials but most of them we haven’t seen yet this year and that is always the thing with both of the Guineas races – you just never really know.
"I have ridden both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court this year and you would have to be pleased with both of them. They are two very straightforward and high-class horses. I don’t know if I will get to sit on either of them before declarations time on Thursday – that will be Charlie’s call.”
On the issue of stamina for Shadow Of Light, a son of Lope De Vega, Buick added: “If you go back to his Dewhurst win, that was on pretty soft ground. Obviously, his class told that day but equally he had to stay with the way the race unfolded and while you never know until you try, you would have to be pretty hopeful a straight mile on good ground should not be a problem for him.”
It's straightforward for the rider in the Betfred 1000 Guineas with Desert Flower the sole Appleby runner.
She's also favourite following a sparkling two-year-old campaign that was capped with a five-and-a-half lengths success in the bet365 Fillies' Mile over Sunday's course-and-distance.
Buick said: “Desert Flower was excellent last year and just kept on improving all season right the way through to the Fillies’ Mile, where she probably posted her most impressive win of the year. She has done nothing wrong and obviously having won on the track as a two-year-old is a help.
“She looks great and I think Charlie and the team have been very happy with her all throughout the winter. She had a nice spin on the track at the Craven Meeting. She wasn’t asked any serious questions but she felt very comfortable doing what she did. To ride her, she is a very straightforward filly and can do whatever really. She is super genuine and gives you everything.”
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