Defending Champion Jockey, William Buick is the first jockey to reach 50 victories this season, after landing the Unibet/British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Kempton onboard Works of Art, trained by Andrew Balding and owned by His Majesty The King.
Buick, 34, is hoping to secure back-to-back titles and double his Flat Jockeys' Championship tally in the process.
The 2023 Flat Jockeys' Championship is shaping up to be an enthralling contest and despite a relatively quiet start to the season, Buick has been firing from all cylinders recently, including when landing a four-timer at Windsor Racecourse on Monday 3rd July. Buick's half century came from 265 rides with an impressive strike rate of 19%.
Buick said on his season so far: “Reaching 50 winners is always nice, I am in a fortunate position, first and foremost with my job at Godolphin and I have been well supported so far this season, so hopefully that will remain the same and I can continue to be given some good opportunities.”
Speaking on the 2023 Jockeys' Championship Buick said: “I haven't been thinking about the title too much, as it is still early in the season, I am always trying to improve myself however and make myself better. I have been taking each day as it comes and hopefully things will continue.”
Three-time champion jockey, Oisin Murphy is close behind in second with 42 wins and a strike rate of 16%. Buick will be hoping to keep this momentum going this week however and he has some strong contenders at The Boodles July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse, including the unbeaten Great Truth for Charlie Appleby, who runs in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on Saturday. Buick could also be on board the Ralph Beckett-trained and last year's Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes victor, Kinross, In the Pertemps Network July Cup that same day.
Closely behind Buick and Murphy are last season's joint runners up and racing's very own power couple, Hollie Doyle (third) and Tom Marquand (fifth). Doyle is fresh off the back of two very impressive performances of her own this week, after a four timer on Monday at Chepstow, followed by a treble on Wednesday at Lingfield. They will both be looking to close that gap this weekend. Doyle has 41 wins with a strike rate of 18% and Marquand has 39 wins with a strike rate of 14%.
The Norwegian-born jockey Buick will be hoping he can extend his lead in the title race this weekend but let us not forget about another leading contender in Joe Fanning, who sits in fourth with 39 wins and a strike rate of 19% as he looks to win the title for the first time at the tender age of 52.
The Flat Jockeys' Championship runs from Saturday 6th May to Saturday 21st October, when the Champion Jockey will be crowned in front of the crowds at QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse.
The 2023 Jockeys' Championship table can be found here.
The post ‘Always Trying To Improve’: Defending Champion Jockey William Buick First British Rider To 50 Wins In 2023 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
