Global Weekly Review: Buick revives memories of American 'great' Cauthen

Sometimes, it is hard to fully appreciate the achievements of contemporaries, particularly in the ever-changing world of international racing.

But, on a weekend memorable for the stunning G1 victory of Godolphin's Ribchester in Newbury's Lockinge Stakes, there was another highlight worth noting, that of the riding performances of the stable's retained jockey William Buick.

First, on Hawkbill in the G3 Aston Park Stakes, and then on Ribchester in the feature, Buick confidently dictated proceedings from the front, with glorious results in both races.

If you asked him his favourite jockey, Buick would be quick to nominate Lester Piggott or, of the current crop, Frankie Dettori. But there was more Steve Cauthen about the way Buick went trail-blazing on Saturday on two of Godolphin's most significant winners of recent seasons.

Kentucky-born Cauthen, now 57, first rode in the UK in 1979, and in little more than a decade, he changed the way races in Britain are run. 

Cauthen, a brilliant judge of pace, loved nothing better than taking up the running on a good horse and making all, with Slip Anchor in the 1985 Derby at Epsom being his signature ride.

Both Buick's rides at Newbury were superb, but, for me, Hawkbill was a particularly impressive one, as the G1 Coral-Eclipse winner needed a confidence-boost, and now looks set for a good campaign following an authoritative win.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said Hawkbill had come out of his race well and would probably run in France at his next outing.

"We know that he prefers soft ground, so we will be looking next to the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly (June 4). Obviously, we will be constantly watching the weather.

"If he can run at Chantilly, we might then give him a little summer break and bring him back in the Autumn, when there is a better chance of getting his ground," the trainer added.

Ribchester looks destined for a G1 mile campaign, and will have the chance to establish a reputation as Europe's best miler. However, there is every chance that he will run a strong mile and a quarter later in his career, which would make him among the most talented to carry the Godolphin colours recently.

Finally, hopes of celebrating another American Triple Crown winner were crushed at Pimlico at the weekend when Cloud Computing beat Classic Empire in the G1 Preakness Stakes, with Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming only eighth. A crowd of 140,427 packed the Maryland racetrack for the second Classic.