Confident Buick and Fahey set for biggest challenge at Goodwood's Sussex Stakes

The four-year-old, trained by Malton’s Richard Fahey and the mount of William Buick, will be conceding seven pounds to Aidan O’Brien’s dual Guineas winner Churchill under racing’s weight-for-age allowances.

It could be key in a race worth £1m – John Gosden’s St Leger contender Stradivarius was the beneficiary in yesterday’s feature Goodwood Cup when denying Ascot Gold Cup hero Big Orange in a thrilling finish to the prestigious two-mile test.

However, while Ribchester was busy proving his credentials as the best older horse when winning Royal Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes in June, Churchill produced an inexplicably below-par performance two hours later when faltering in the St James’s Palace Stakes against three-year-olds.

Nevertheless Buick remains confident while remaining respectful of his highly-rated opponent ahead of today’s ‘duel on the Downs’ – the latest leg of the Qipco Champions Series.

“When you are at the top of your game there are always people trying to knock you down,” he said.

“Ribchester has yet to take on the three-year-olds this year and we go there with plenty of respect for Churchill. His defeat in the St James’s Palace seemed a big shock to his team, and you only have to go back to Newmarket to see what he is capable of.

“A dual 2000 Guineas winner? You don’t take them lightly and I certainly don’t under-estimate him. He gets the weight and he’s a big horse, a strong horse. The weight concession is massively in their favour three-year-olds in general and from this time of the year onwards they are maturing all the time.”

Buick first rode the Godolphin-owned Ribchester when the son of Iffraaj finished third in the 2000 Guineas last year and has partnered him on six further occasions, including for his two Group Ones wins this term.

“He’s improved in every department since I first rode him, both mentally and physically,” he said. “He used to be a bit immature, very energetic, and it was hard to channel it in the right direction all the time. Now he’s really matured and he has turned into top-class horse.

“Richard and his team have done a fantastic job with him. A lot of it is down to them that he is so adaptable in a race. He seemed to enjoy it from the front at Newbury but, equally, he can come from behind. He has got the highest cruising speed of any horse I’ve ridden and he can quicken off it as well, which is a great asset for a miler.”

A feature of Ribchester’s triumphs at Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes and in the Queen Anne is that he has hung in the closing stages, but Buick is unperturbed.

The 29 year-old said: “He went right at Newbury on very soft ground after being in front a long way, then at Ascot he went slightly left, but he’s always been slightly playful. He’s not a horse who stops and looks, he keeps going.”

Having gone close in the race last year when a fast-finishing third, Fahey has no worries about his charge handling the undulating track.

“Everything has gone according to plan since Royal Ascot, there haven’t been any hiccups at all and we have no excuse,” said Fahey.

“He was very good in the Queen Anne and I hope he’ll be just as good. He was touched off in the race last season and that means I’m confident he’ll handle the track perfectly well. We’re in a privileged position regarding the ground too – there are no worries on that front.

“This is a big test for him though and I have an awful lot of respect for Churchill. He had excuses for his defeat in the St James’s Palace Stakes, it was one of the hottest days of the year, the ground was quick and I’m sure he’ll bounce back here.”

The aforementioned O’Brien had no apparent excuse for the Ascot run, but has been happy with Churchill since.

“He seems to be fine. Nothing came to light and it could have been the heat. That’s racing, they don’t always perform,” he said.

Norton trainer John Quinn’s El Astronaute caused another upset when returning to winning ways at 33-1 in the New & Lingwood Handicap.

Winner of valuable handicaps at Newmarket and Chester earlier in the season he had been unplaced the last three times.

However, only 1lb higher than for Chester, he dominated throughout with A Momentofmadness and came out on top in a photo finish under Jason Hart.

Hart, a former champion apprentice, said: “I spoke to the boss this morning and we decided to try and get the rail was the right thing to do as he enjoys doing his own thing.

“He’s got that much raw speed there’s no point stopping him enjoying what he does. It was similar to when he won at Newmarket, he got headed and battled back.”