Racing: Buick still looks a champion in waiting

By Chris McGrath at Sandown

He appears as though he is auditioning for a role in Just William, rather than that of champion jockey. Indeed, it is not until next week that William Buick celebrates the anniversary of his first winner, at Salisbury, his one and only success from eight rides on turf last year. In the meantime, however, he has gone a long way to vindicating the tenner risked by no less a judge than Ian Balding, at odds of 500-1, that he will be champion during the next decade or so.

Last week, four winners at the St Leger meeting supplanted even that first Royal Ascot success, on Dark Missile in the Wokingham, at the top of a CV that requires revision by the month. At the same time, however, Buick was able to come here yesterday with his innate caution freshly reinforced. For the latest in a series of interference offences, on the final afternoon at Doncaster, is set to condemn him to a suspension of around 14 days – almost certainly starting on 6 October, and so dissolving his partnership with The Illies, favourite for the Totesport Cambridgeshire at Newmarket that afternoon.

Moreover, as few have grasped, there is another painful corollary. "I won't be champion apprentice now," Buick declared. "I'm going to miss maybe 20 days, and it's close enough as it is. I must admit it would have meant a lot to me. But I'm going to try to keep my claim for next year, and give it another go then."

To a degree, his problems with the stewards reflect the immoderate haste of his rise. "But you see the same happen to a lot of jockeys, the senior riders too," he said. "I've been riding a lot of horses, been in a lot of finishes. I was aware of it, hanging over me, and it would be pretty sickening to miss the ride on The Illies.

"I know everything has happened very quickly for me. But I don't feel it has happened too quickly. I've a lot of good people around me, and they make sure I take everything in my stride." Though indebted to the coaching of the Baldings at Kingsclere, Buick's touchstone remains his father, Walter, who rode 1,500 winners in Scandanavia and still rides work for Marcus Tregoning. "If I do something wrong, he tells me," Buick said. "But he tells me if I do something right, as well. It's very comforting to have him around, because with all his experience his opinions tend to turn out to be right." Last winter Buick was also privileged to ride work upsides one of the great American horsemen, Angel Cordero, during a stint riding work for Todd Pletcher in Florida. "They're all million-dollar horses in that barn, and it sharpened me up a good bit," he said. "I learned a lot about timing, and changing a horse's lead leg, keeping it balanced."

This time round he again hopes to broaden his horizons by riding in Dubai, which should also enable him to preserve that precious 3lb claim. Still only 18, he is still growing stronger, which is just as well. This time last year he was barely six stone, and he will need more than silky hands on his side once riding on level terms with his seniors. Buick has ridden 42 winners this season. Breathing down his neck, with 41 and 40 respectively, Liam Jones and Greg Fairley must be exasperated by the headlines commanded by their diffident young colleague. Buick and Jones were both in action at Kempton last night, while Fairley is notably well placed to seize the opportunities arising from an injury to Joe Fanning. Mark Johnston, their employer, is giving his young compatriot conspicuous opportunities.

Meanwhile Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders are still slugging it out for the senior title. Both rode at Yarmouth yesterday where Spencer edged one (140-139) ahead with a double. Next on the podium remains Richard Hughes, who rode two winners here to bring up his 100 for his own, very fine season.

The most valuable prize of the day was the Guinness Kerry National over three miles, focal point of a week's bedlam at the Listowel Festival. Previous winners include Dorans Pride and, prior to his success in the real thing at Aintree, Monty's Pass – and the name engraved beneath theirs now is Ponmeoath, a progressive young chaser trained up the road in Co Limerick by Eric McNamara and ridden with panache by Paddy Flood.