The baby-faced jockey’s only regret after landing the Epsom Classic was not performing Frankie Dettori’s trademark celebration which he perfected at the age of 12A month short of his 30th birthday but still the baby-faced assassin, William Buick has finally achieved the Derby victory that he has been working towards since he was not much more than a baby. At the age of 12, when he was spending as much time as possible at the racing stables of Andrew Balding, Buick had perfected his flying dismount, modelled on the one made famous by his hero, Frankie Dettori.On Saturday, Dettori was toiling away in fifth as Buick won the race that eluded the Italian until a much later stage of his...
Aidan O’Brien’s runner is the standout talent in the Epsom Classic and his stablemate Zabriskie is a tempting each-way betAfter all the dithering this week about ground, distance and stalls position, it is time for punters to make up their minds about the longstanding Derby favourite, Saxon Warrior (4.30). Most of us have probably gone back and forth over the same questions more often than is really healthy in the last few days but in the last analysis and without wishing to be reductive about it, he is the standout talent and perfectly capable of rising to the challenge facing him.His draw in stall one is not some distraction to be waved away; repeated experience over the last decade suggests...
Epsom clerk of course Andrew Cooper predicts good to soft ground for the Classic after heavy rain fails to materialiseThe draw for the Derby on Saturday has just been completed and Saxon Warrior, the strong favourite, has been drawn on the inside of the field in stall one. The one box has not supplied the Derby winner so far this century, although it was the berth for the last one in the 20th century – Oath, who gave Sir Henry Cecil his fourth Derby winner in 1999. Related: Bernard Kantor relishes being in Derby contention with Young Rascal Lingfield Park 1.40 Breakfast 2.10 Blackfyre 2.40 Jackblack 3.10 Hint Of Grey 3.40 Stormingin (nap) 4.10 The Night King 4.40 Red Island 5.10 Renny’s Lady...