Buick has Doncaster quartet to use as warm-up

WILLIAM Buick will warm up for tomorrow’s Irish Derby at Doncaster today hopeful he can land Yorkshire racing a Classic weekend winner at The Curragh.
Libertarian ridden by William BuickLibertarian ridden by William Buick
Libertarian ridden by William Buick

Buick will partner Elaine Burke’s recent Godolphin acquisition Libertarian in tomorrow’s Irish Derby but the jockey will first take four rides on Town Moor today.

Jeremy Noseda’s promising 
juvenile Hi Filwah looks the pick of them in the opener, but Buick’s weekend revolves around tomorrow’s prestigious Curragh Classic where he will partner Leyburn’s Derby runner-up looking to reverse form with Ruler Of The World.

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Derby winner Ruler Of The World has now won three from three and Buick knows Aidan O’Brien’s charge will take some stopping, but Libertarian’s jockey will give everything in his attempt to reverse the form.

“He’s a lovely horse and he did very well in the Derby,” said Buick, whose mount also won this year’s Dante at York.

“The track should suit him better at The Curragh although he is taking on the Derby winner who will improve as well for being at The Curragh and in a strongly run race.

“We’ll see. It will be a very exciting race but I’m very hopeful.

“We’ll try to beat Ruler Of The World anyway.”

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Buick partnered a 1-50 winner called Seamless at Yarmouth yesterday as part of a double and the jockey has a strong book of rides at Doncaster today that also includes Merletta, a debutante for Noseda in the maiden at 2.30pm.

He will likely find Richard Hannon’s Musicora tough to beat.

Another Hannon horse, Malachim Mist, will be odds on in the novice event at 3pm in which Buick rides One Penny Piece, who won his sole start to date.

Buick’s fourth and final scheduled ride will be on the William Jarvis-trained Jodies Jem in an open looking handicap at 4.10pm.

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As well as Buick and champion jockey Hughes, Doncaster’s card features rides for Mickael Barzalona and Frankie Dettori.

Another one of flat racing’s top jockeys, Paul Hanagan, made a successful return to action at Yarmouth yesterday with a double.

But Hanagan then gave up his four remaining rides as he felt the effects of the injury he sustained at Royal Ascot.

Hanagan was lucky to escape relatively unscathed from a nasty incident in the Hardwicke Stakes when his mount Ektihaam slipped on the bend and sent him crashing into the rails.

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He was left badly bruised and after a few days off headed to Yarmouth and was merely a passenger as Ertijaal landed the odds in the Trafalgar Restaurant At Great Yarmouth Racecourse Maiden Stakes, to earn a 33-1 quote for next year’s 2000 Guineas from Paddy Power.

Trained by William Haggas, Ertijaal had finished second on debut at Leicester and, sent off the 1-4 favourite, he oozed class in easing to a six-length win.

“You cannot expect anything in this game but you can hope they do it like that,” said Haggas.

“He was impressive, and he looked very good.

“I would imagine it would be the July Stakes next.”

Hanagan had to work harder in the next on Majestic Manannan (17-2), who took a tug on the way to post and then needed to be driven right out to win the Sealife Centre Handicap, after which Hanagan was stood down and will need to pass the doctor’s examination if he is to ride at Newmarket today.

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Hanagan’s agent Richard Hale said: “I hope he’ll be back (on Friday). The second horse took a hell of a grip going down and Paul think’s he’s just wrenched it a bit then. He just felt he couldn’t do the others justice so he’s gone off for a bit more physio. It’s nothing serious and he should be fine.

“It’s probably agent error and I asked too much of him first day back. He went for the first winner and I probably should have left it at that.”

Also on the mark yesterday was Malton trainer Richard Fahey who is keen to keep things low-key with Good Old Boy Lukey after he secured his second win from as many starts in the Betfred Mobile Lotto Novice Stakes at Newcastle.

The Selkirk colt looked the part when justifying market confidence on his racecourse debut at Hamilton and was the 10-11 favourite to double up at Gosforth Park.

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George Chaloner’s mount tracked closest market rival Milly’s Secret for much of the journey before edging his head in front approaching the last of six furlongs.

Carlisle scorer Mr Matthews finished off his race to good effect to chase down the leader, but Good Old Boy Lukey was always doing enough in front and passed the post a length and three-quarters to the good.

Fahey said: “He’s two out of two and you can’t knock him. The form is just okay and we’ll have to see what the handicapper does.

“We don’t really want to take on the real stars now.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to go for a nursery.”