Increasingly, it is looking a case of when rather than if Buick, number one rider to trainer John Gosden’s powerful Newmarket-based string, is king of the Flat jockeys as champion.
Clearly, there is a long way to go until the season’s end in November, but half-British, half-Norwegian Buick is lying second in the table, with the leader, Ryan Moore, well within his sights., external
Asked about the title race, the 2008 champion apprentice (jointly with David Probert) demonstrates his level-headed, modest reputation to a tee. He said: “I’m riding as much as I can, as many winners as I can and trying my best. We’ll see where we end up.
“I’m 23, still learning about the game – there’s a natural progression, you know.”
At any ‘normal’ Royal Ascot, Buick’s five successes, including a sparkling treble with Gosden on the fourth day, would have made headline news.
However, such was the quality of the 2012 Royal meeting that the achievement got rather lost amid the torrent of quality news stories surrounding Frankel, Black Caviar, the Queen and so on.
But seasoned observers were particularly impressed both with Buick’s versatile skills in the saddle and his calmness under pressure at the biggest race meeting of the year.
