What are William Buick’s strengths as a jockey?
Buick possesses an ice-cool focus and seems unfazed by the pressure of any given race. He has a knack for helping a horse find a comfortable racing rhythm, and he tops that off with a usually well-timed and strong drive to the finish.
William Buick’s Origin Story
William Buick was born in Oslo, Norway. His British father, Walter Buick, was champion jockey in Scandinavia on multiple occasions, and his mother, Maria, was an equestrian rider. He started riding at a young age and would exercise racehorses before going to school.
He spent his childhood summers in England, and during his teenage years, those long holidays included riding work for trainers Reg Hollinshead, Andrew Balding, and Marcus Tregoning. He was apprenticed to Balding, had his first ride in August 2006, and was Britain’s champion apprentice in 2008.
Buick caught the attention of plenty of top trainers, and in early 2010, John Gosden appointed him as a stable jockey to his powerful Newmarket stable. Five years later, he joined the Godolphin team.
Who is William Buick’s greatest rival?
Buick faces tough competition from a handful of top riders, including Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle, but at the head of the pack is his closest rival, Oisin Murphy. The Irishman was champion three years running in 2019, 2020, and 2021, with Buick chasing, and the 2021 title tussle between the pair went down to the final day.
Murphy was suspended from riding in 2022, leaving the way open for Buick to claim the champion jockey title. With Murphy back in the game in 2023, business resumed, but Buick came out on top again, with Murphy a long way back in second.
If William Buick was a sporting franchise what would it be?
Buick is very business-like: accomplished and skilled, he gets the job done. He is confident in his abilities, and while he might be on the fringes of the spotlight compared to some other high-profile jockeys, he carries himself with a self-assured boldness. If he were a sports franchise, he would be Surrey County Cricket Club.
Did You Know?
Buick and his younger brothers were a common sight in racecourse press rooms during major midsummer festivals like Glorious Goodwood. The Buick boys would be there among the media professionals with their father, Walter, who in those days worked as a race reader for the Press Association.
What is William Buick’s most memorable ride?
Buick’s list of big-race wins is extensive, so there are plenty to choose from, but his most memorable ride, for anyone who witnessed it, is Pakistan Star’s victory in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in 2018.
The mercurial gelding had his quirks and famously stopped in races, but he also had great athletic capacity and a serious turn of foot. Buick, having his first ride on the horse, jumped him out of the gate and settled third on the rail, tracking the pace-setting Time Warp. Pakistan Star raced with his head cocked to the left, yet Buick had him rolling along in a comfortable rhythm. Turning for home, Buick angled out, pointed Pakistan Star between rivals, asked for a kick, and the son of Shamardal let loose a burst of speed that put three lengths on the chasers.
What made this race so memorable, though, was the crowd reaction. When Buick took Pakistan Star to the lead, the Sha Tin grandstand erupted with a collective roar the like of which had not been heard since the days of the great Silent Witness. But this was something else again: this was the crowd favourite, so often lauded, so often supported by his fans and hardened punters alike, so often the disappointment, finally getting his act together and ending an eight-race losing streak—in a Group 1 race, no less.
That noise didn’t stop when they passed the winning post either. Buick and Pakistan Star returned to unsaddle as heroes, cheered – unforgettably – every step of the way.
