William Buick looking ahead to fight to be champion jockey in 2021

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri July 02, 2021 · 3y ago

William Buick is under no illusions of the task that lies ahead this year to win his first champion jockey title, as he became the first jockey to reach a half century of winners this week.

The Godolphin-retained jockey secured his 50th winner of the season aboard Six Til Twelve at Lingfield on Monday night for trainer Robyn Brisland.

That winner means he has taken less rides to reach the mark than any of the three previous seasons. In fact, those jockeys have gone on to win the Flat Jockeys’ Championship that year.

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However, the Newmarket-based jockey is determined to keep his focus with three and a half months of the Championship remaining and he reiterated his desire to win his first title.

“I’ve always said my ambition at the start of the season was to ride as many winners as possible. Having come so close to winning the title last year, my focus is on the Jockeys’ Championship and to do so you need to ride winners at a fast rate,” Buick told Great British Racing.

“To be the first to 50 winners is obviously fantastic, but there is an awful long way to go. I’m a relatively experienced jockey now, so I know from previous years that this part of the season is when the really hard work starts. It’s a time to keep focus and to not drop the ball."

Buick's 50th winner on Monday night was celebrated as part of treble at Lingfield with wins aboard Faustus for Robert Cowell and Contai Beauty for James Tate.

Jockeys' title standings at start of play Friday July 2

As it stands (Thursday July 1), the 32-year-old sits four wins clear of two-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy and eight ahead of Tom Marquand. It is set to be an exciting title race that culminates on Saturday October 16 at QIPCO British Champions Day.

Charlie Appleby has also had a flying start to the season and sits top of the Trainers’ Championship, and Buick is grateful to be riding for the trainer who provided him with his second Irish Derby winner last Saturday at the Curragh with Hurricane Lane.

Lone Eagle (nearside) goes agonisingly close in the Irish Derby

Hurricane Lane winning the Irish Derby

The 2008 champion apprentice said: "I’m in a very privileged position to be first jockey to Charlie (Appleby). He’s had a fantastic season so far and there’s plenty of racing still to go, but he’s already ticked off the Derby and the Irish Derby, which is a great feat.

"We work together as a team and he provides me with the ammunition that I need to compete. He’s probably in a position to start thinking about being Champion Trainer, but as I said before, there’s still an awful long way to go this year for both of us."

Amongst Buick's 50 victories so far this season are three wins at Royal Ascot, including with the David Menuisier-trained Wonderful Tonight in the Hardwicke Stakes. Buick also won the Matchbook Yorkshire Cup Stakes with Spanish Mission, part of this year’s QIPCO British Champions Series, and the Dante Stakes at the same meeting with Hurricane Lane.

See the full 2021 Flat Jockeys’ Championship table here.