William Buick retains title as champions crowned at Ascot

William Buick was presented with the British Champion Flat Jockey award for a second successive year at Ascot on Saturday, following another outstanding season for the Godolphin jockey.

Having claimed the title for a first time in 2022, Buick retained the title in decisive fashion as he ended the championship with 135 wins between May and October, nearly 30 victories clear of his nearest rivals.

A host of notable wins in the royal blue silks for the jockey have included Modern Games taking the G1 Lockinge Stakes and exciting juveniles Dance Sequence, Ancient Wisdom and Arabian Crown all scoring at the Dubai Future Champions Festival.

Ancient Wisdom could yet provide the jockey with another significant success this weekend after he was supplemented for the final G1 of the UK season, the Futurity Trophy, at Doncaster on Saturday.

British Champions Day at Ascot also saw Trawlerman secure the biggest victory of his career as he gamely beat a strong field of stayers in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup.

With the European season reaching its end, attention turns to California for the Breeders’ Cup at the start of November. Pre-entries for the two-day extravaganza are revealed on Wednesday, with Mawj and Master Of The Seas set to spearhead the European challenge.

The home team will be led by defending Dirt Mile champion Cody’s Wish and fellow future Darley stallion Proxy, who worked at Keeneland on Sunday in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.