William Buick

Peter Harris's Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Swirral Edge {GB}, by Hellvelyn {GB}) had been coming of age so far this season and his big moment duly came in Saturday's G1 My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket. Successful in the G2 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes and third in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on his last two starts, the 11-1 shot was held up early by William Buick with the pace strong up front. Staying on powerfully down the wing to wear down the QEII...

It was a case of business as usual at Newmarket on Saturday with Charlie Appleby saddling his fifth G2 Superlative Stakes winner in TDN Rising Star Ancient Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Beyond Reason {Ire}, by Australia {GB}). Having won on debut over six furlongs on the Rowley Mile in May and over this seven-furlong trip and course last month, the 4-6 favourite faced a depleted field with three non-runners and had to wait behind rivals early as William Buick anchored him under cover. Picking up impressively to take control approaching the...

Newmarket's G1 July Cup card began in style when Godolphin's hitherto unraced Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Promising Run, by Hard Spun) powered away from nine rivals to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette in Saturday's £21,000 Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes over seven furlongs. The homebred daughter of four-time Group 2 victrix Promising Run (Hard Spun) was a touch hesitant at the break and chased the leaders in fourth through the initial fractions. Nudged along soon after passing halfway, the 5-2 second favourite bounded to the fore...

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' and G1 Futurity Trophy hero Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Golden Valentine {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) had yet to fire on all cylinders this year and bounced back from an eighth in last month's G1 Derby to regain the winning thread in Thursday's G3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket. The 6-4 favourite went forward to assume control after the initial strides of this 13-furlong test. Holding sway thereafter, he was asked to stretch with three furlongs remaining and kept finding for pressure inside the final quarter-mile to comfortably...

Godolphin's Anno Domini (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), racing under a five-pound penalty, maintained his unbeaten record with a 3/4-of-a-length tally in Friday's Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Novice Stakes at Sandown. 4th-Sandown, £40,000, Nov, 7-5, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.96, g/f. ANNO DOMINI (GB) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), penalised five pounds for annexing his June 13 debut at Newbury last time, was quickly into stride and tracked the leading duo for most of this return. Taking closer order in the straight, the 11-10 favourite quickened...

Godolphin's hitherto unraced Shadow Of Light (Ire) (Lope De Vega (Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}), a homebred three-parts brother to dual Group 1-winning sire Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), shed maiden status at the first attempt with a one-length victory in Thursday's Weatherbys EBF Maiden Stakes at Great Yarmouth. 2nd-Great Yarmouth, £9,950, Mdn, 7-4, 2yo, 6f 3yT, 1:13.60, gd. SHADOW OF LIGHT (GB) (c, 2, Lope De Vega {Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire} {G1SP-Eng}, by New Approach {Ire}) broke on the front end and accepted a lead in fourth after the initial...

Godolphin's 525,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up graduate Anno Domini (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to last month's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Kathmandu (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), made a winning debut in Thursday's Get 100/1 On England At BetVictor EBF Novice S. at Newbury. 2nd-Newbury, €12,000, Nov, 6-13, 2yo, 6 1/2fT, 1:18.73, g/f. ANNO DOMINI (GB) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) was squeezed for room early and raced four lengths off the pace through halfway in this debut. Bounding forward to launch...

For an operation so accustomed to success on these shores, the first two-plus days of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival proved surprisingly and disappointingly fruitless for Godolphin, trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick. Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was flat as the heavy favorite in Thursday's GII Belmont Gold Cup, while English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was last but one as the pick in Friday's GI New York S. Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was a fair fifth in Saturday's GI Jaipur S. to add insult to injury,...

A half-dozen years ago, Charlie Appleby mapped out a plan to send that year's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) to Hong Kong in an attempt to become the first overseas winner of the G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup. Those plans were ultimately scuppered, owing perhaps in some part to a down-the-field finish by a then-unexposed Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize the month prior. In the form of Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Appleby surmised that he had the 'right horse'...

Godolphin's globetrotting Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) should jump a white-hot favourite when he lines up against seven locally based gallopers in the final Group 1 on the annual Hong Kong racing calendar, the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse. The 6-year-old is seeking to become the first overseas raider to take out the 2400-metre contest and the near $8-million earner enters the race in the best form of his career. A two-time Group 1 winner in Germany and victorious in the GI Breeders' Cup...

Newmarket bore witness to a new TDN Rising Star on Sunday as Godolphin's Ancient Truth (Ire), (Dubawi {Ire}--Beyond Reason {Ire}, by Australia {GB}) got his career off to the perfect start in the opening six-furlong novice on the card. A full-brother to last year's TDN Rising Star Great Truth (Ire) and second foal out of the G2 Prix du Calvados winner Beyond Reason (Ire) (Australia {GB}), the Charlie Appleby-trained 5-2 favourite broke smartly to track the early pace in second before taking command two out. Pushed out by William Buick...

Godolphin's Diamond Rain (GB) (Shamardal--Dancing Rain {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}), unraced as a juvenile, opened up with a narrow victory going just under a mile at Ascot in her May 1 debut last time and stepped forward to lay down a Classic marker in Saturday's Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. at Newbury. The G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks entry accepted a tow in second for most of this 10-furlong contest. Looming large in the straight, the 3-1 joint-second favourite eased to the front passing the quarter-mile marker and quickened...