William Buick dominated Saturday afternoon’s action at Newmarket as he recorded his first ever five-timer at one track.
The leading rider was aboard Eternal Pearl for his boss Charlie Appleby as the 5/4 favourite landed the feature Ric And Mary Hambro Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes by three-quarters of a length and he doubled up for the Moulton Paddocks handler when partnering Sense Of Power in the Racingtv.com/Freetrial Maiden Stakes.
His other three victories came for three different trainers as he steered a trio of favourites, Koy Koy (11/10) for George Boughey, David O’Meara’s Charging Thunder (6/4) and Martyn and Freddie Meade’s Auditor (6/4) to success on the July Course.
Although riding five winners in a day in the past, this is the first time he has done so at only one track and he said of the achievement: “Most days I go racing I think it’s a possibility.
“I’m getting plenty of support, which I’m grateful for. Godolphin and Charlie Appleby provide me with plenty of good rides and I get support from plenty of others as well. My agent Tony Hind does a fantastic job,” he told Racing TV.
“I’m privileged to get such good support, you can’t always expect to ride five winners, but it’s great when it happens.
“I did it a few years ago, I think it was here and Doncaster, but it’s nice to do it at the one track.
“I always feel I’m in a privileged position because I’m riding lovely horses each week and I go racing looking forward to every day. It’s hard work, it’s long days, but it’s what I love to do and long may it continue.”
Appleby is now eyeing a trip to America with Eternal Pearl.
He said: “We were pleased with her coming into today and she is a filly that is still very much a work in progress. The plan had been to ride her a bit more forward today but she was a bit tardy from the gates and William was happy enough with the position he got into.
“It’s hard to make up ground here when the leader has the running rail but, just like she shows us at home, she has shown today that she has a change of gear.
“There are no immediate big-race targets and she could be a bit tricky to place. It had sort of been the plan coming into today that if she ran a big race, which we were hopeful of, I might possibly take her to America for the Jockey Club Oaks at Belmont Park – but we need to have an invitation first.”
