BUICK DREAMS BIG
After riding Prince Bishop to victory last year, Norwegian hopes to make it a special night astride Frosted
After inscribing his name on the biggest night in horse racing last year, William Buick is bracing for a repeat. The Norwegian piloted the Saeed bin-Suroor-trained Prince Bishop to victory against all odds at the Dubai World Cup last March. And now, the 27-year-old is hoping he can do it all again at the Meydan Racecourse this weekend.
Buick partners Godolphin Racing’s Frosted, the American dirt specialist, at the $6 million Dubai World Cup backed by Emirates Airline, on Saturday. Buick went into flashback mode as he termed last year’s win as “special” and also talked up Frosted chances.
“I’ve been lucky enough in my career to ride some great horses and participate in a few World Cups and World Cup nights even,” Buick said at the Meydan Racecourse on Thursday morning.
“The World Cup last year was very special on a couple of fronts really. And it was a very extraordinary race the way the race was run. And at the end of the day, the Dubai World Cup is very special and winning it is even more special,” he added.
And he could yet make it another special night, this time with Frosted, the four-year-old grey son of Tapit. Frosted, warmed up for the Dubai World Cup by winning the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2, at the Meydan Racecourse in February.
It was the first time he was racing outside of North America and the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained colt capped the night by setting a new course record. “He obviously doesn’t need any introduction. He is a very high-profile horse and he had great form in the States, obviously run against American Pharoah in nearly every run. He is a hard task and he came out here and he thrived and Kiaran
He obviously doesn’t need any introduction. He is a very high-profile horse and he had great form in the States
William Buick, jockey
and team are very happy,” he said. Buick was clearly impressed with that run in the Al Maktoum Challenge. “Of course I haven’t ridden that many top US dirt horses and I must say the way he performed that night impressed me. I got the feeling from the camp that that was what they were looking for. So, I think that was very much part of the routine and the plan always was to one day negotiate the World Cup,” said Buick.
Frosted will be pitted against another US horse in California Chrome, who is running for a second time here. Frosted has been drawn on Gate 9, while California Chrome will break from Stall 11. And Buick anticipated a good battle. “Draw is something you can’t control. He’s drawn nine and it leaves us options. He’s a pretty uncomplicated horse when things go his way. He breaks good, he travels well, picks up, he stays well. California Chrome is on our right side and I don’t know what Victor (Espinoza) will want to do. If I was him, I would want break and get in a little bit, little bit also at the beginning and get in whether he is in front, second or whatever. I believe he will want a good start and get in from 11th and I will probably be somewhere around him or behind him,” he said.
Buick has three other rides for Godolphin Racing on the night with him onboard the Charlie Appleby-trained Jungle Cat in the Al Quoz Sprint, followed by the Dubai Golden Shaheen on Kiaran’s Confrontation. He then returns with Appleby to partner Tryster in the Dubai Turf.
Tryster, the five-year-old son of the famous Shamardal, has nine wins from 12 starts, with his most recent win be- ing the Group 1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan. And Buick, joint Champion Apprentice in the UK in 2008 with 50 winners, said that they will know on Saturday if Tryster is the real deal.
“He’s a worthy favourite. He is a very, very excited horse and a good horse, for one. But he is excited in the sense that he is very fast and he’s been impressive over here in his last two runs and he has been in good form,” Buick said of Tryster, who also won the Dubai Millennium Stakes.
“Of course, I have ridden a few but I’ve not ridden a horse that has a potential like him. And of course, he has to prove it on the world stage on Saturday. It is easy to say after the races he’s run because he hasn’t taken on world class horses yet. So, we will find out more on Saturday and if he does the same Saturday then, we have got the real deal,” he added.