Haydock Saturday review: William Buick completes treble

The easiest winner was Aegean Prince (7/4 favourite) who treated his rivals with contempt in the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup Handicap.

Despite carrying top weight of 9st 12b in the testing ground, the four-year-old sauntered through the contest on the bridle and came clear of his field when asked, beating In The Breeze by seven-and-a-half lengths with petrol left in the tank.

Second in a Listed race at Deauville last October, his future looks to lie back In pattern company.

“He was impressive but is still learning,” the winning rider said. “He jumped both roads but got into a lovely rhythm after that. He wouldn’t mind a but of cut in the ground but I don’t think he wants it as soft as that.

“Today was a step up for him, he’d been off for a while and the team have done a great job. We took our time with him.”

When asked if he was a Group horse in a handicap, Buick added: “It’s a term that’s often used but doesn’t always materialise but hopefully he’ll go that way and today I don’t think he could have done much more.”

Law stays on the rise in the Ascendant

First Law (6/4 favourite) retained his unbeaten record with a taking success in the Betfair Celebrates Bow Echo Ascendant Stakes.

The 1,000,000 guineas son of Too Darn Hot was green on debut at Sandown and still showed plenty of sigs of inexperience on this occasion, especially turning for home.

Buick’s mount was pestered by market rival Rocket Boy all the way down the home straight but responded to his rider’s urgings and despite still look rough around the edges, hit the line three-quarters-to-a-length ahead.

Paddy Power and Sky Bet but the winner to 20/1 for the Dewhurst at Newmarket next month but he could head to an alternative target at the same track.

““He is still very much learning on the job and today is what I kind of expected. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to make our own running, but it is what it is and it was a good learning curve for him. I liked the way he finished off the second half of the race,” the winning rider said.

“I thought he did very well and is a lively, big horse. He’s in the Dewhurst and Royal Lodge and there is also the Autumn Stakes, a race which Charlie has brought some of his nicer two-year-olds to.”

Force proves too strong for rivals

The jockey went to the front aboard Asia Force (13/2) to land the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap.

The positive tactics aboard Karl Burke's charge saw the partnership go four lengths clear early and his partner showed tremendous resolution down the home straight.

Stablemate and 9/4 favourite Galilean Quality was the one to throw down the challenge but he was never able to land a telling blow, the winner staying on dourly to score by a length-and-a-quarter.

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