Buick usurps Fortune at Gosden yard

William Buick's meteoric rise to the top has been cemented with his appointment as stable jockey to top Newmarket trainer John Gosden.

The 21-year-old, who only rode his first winner three years ago and was joint champion apprentice in 2008, replaces Jimmy Fortune.

Buick is spending the winter in the United Arab Emirates where he has already enjoyed some success.

He has spent his career to date with Andrew Balding at Kingsclere, and the trainer revealed his mixed feelings at the news.

‘Obviously we are very sad to lose him. He's been a valuable asset to the yard, but I think there's no mistaking, it's a good career move for him and we wish him well,’ said Balding.

‘He's come a long way in a short time and you don't do that unless you've got a lot of natural talent, which he has.

‘He's by no means the finished article, but there's better yet to come.

‘From the minute he started riding on the track he was always instinctively making the right decisions and horses run for him - that's the main thing.

‘He starting coming to the yard at the age of 15 during the holidays until he finished his education.

‘We are sorry to lose him, but I hope he will be able to ride for us again in the future at some stage.

‘We've got David Probert coming along well, Liam Keniry has been very reliable, but we will be looking to hopefully find somebody to add to the team.’

Buick's first winner came at Salisbury in September 2006 and an early big-race triumph came in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2007 on Dark Missile for Balding.

He landed his first Group One victory on the Mick Channon-trained Lahaleeb in the EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in October.

Buick's father Walter, a multiple champion jockey in Scandinavia and now race reader for the Press Association, was delighted at the news.

‘I've always thought a big job was coming his way, but I never thought it would be this year,’ said Buick senior.

‘It's fantastic, a huge thing for him.

‘When I was riding abroad he was always with me from early on. He knew the racing game before he was 12 years of age

‘He's such an ambassador that he made sure Andrew Balding was the first person to know.

‘He didn't want Andrew to read it in any newspaper article because he owes the Baldings an awful lot.

‘He's put that right and Andrew was very pleased on his behalf.’