El Cordobes gives Buick landmark winner in G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes

El Cordobes provided Godolphin’s retained jockey William Buick with his 2,000th British winner in the G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday, 10 July.

Palladium led the four runners in the early stages, with Charlie Appleby’s other runner Arabian Crown in second and El Cordobes anchored at the rear of the field.

Following an increase in tempo with half a mile remaining, Arabian Crown and Wimbledon Hawkeye moved past the weaking Palladium approaching the final two furlongs.

El Cordobes meanwhile was forced to switch and made good headway to challenge the leading duo. Once on terms, the four-year-old stretched away from Wimbledon Hawkeye to win by two lengths, with Arabian Crown just under two lengths further back in third.

Following his appointment in 2015, Buick has won a host of Britain’s major races for Godolphin, including the 2018 Derby on Masar as well as back-to-back 2,000 Guineas on Notable Speech and Ruling Court. He was also Champion Jockey in 2022 and 2023.

William Buick said: “I am very proud. Thanks goes to a lot of people, my family first and foremost, as you cannot do it without them. Thanks to all the owners, trainers and stable staff who have helped me, especially Charlie and Godolphin over the last 10 years. It has been hanging over me for a while, so to do it at this meeting for Charlie and Godolphin means the world.

“The one winner that stands out for me would be the Derby on Masar, my only Derby to date. It is a special race and the one everyone wants to win. Growing up, I wanted to be champion jockey and to win the Derby. I have been lucky to ride some fantastic horses for some fantastic people. The support I have had all through my career, from my apprenticeship with Andrew Balding, to my great time with John Gosden and then with Charlie and Godolphin – I have always been in a privileged position and still am. I am grateful to everyone.

“We took a chance with El Cordobes today. We did not learn a lot about him at Newbury and then the trip was too far for him at York. We decided to drop in and see what happens. He travelled through the race supremely well and picked up good. He is not the finished article yet and I think there is progression in him.”

Charlie Appleby said: “Masar winning the Derby will always go down as the ride of Will’s that I will remember, purely because of the whole occasion. In terms of the difference between winning and losing, some of his Breeders’ Cup wins around Del Mar or Santa Anita – he has been deadly around there. We are just very lucky to have him as part of our team and a huge congratulations to him and his family.

“El Cordobes is progressing. I stepped him up to a mile and six furlongs at York, thinking he could be a Melbourne Cup horse if he stays, but he didn’t. Although he got beat at York and Newbury, I think he is toughening up and starting to have the look of a horse who will be an international campaigner. He loves quick ground and that is key for a lot of those international races.”