Now enjoying his first season as reigning champion jockey in Britain, William Buick will be desperate to reflect that status by getting on the Royal Ascot scoresheet this summer.

As top jockey for the powerful Godolphin operation and the main man at Charlie Appleby's yard in Newmarket, Buick should have ample opportunity to quench that desire at the five-day extravaganza this month.

Watch every race across the five days from Tuesday 20th June – Saturday 24th June via the bet365 Sports Live Streaming service.

Racing taking precedence from early on

William Buick was born in Norway in 1988, where his Scottish-born father, Walter, was Scandinavian champion jockey on eight occasions and his mother, Maria, was a dressage rider and showjumper. 

Racing and horses were in his life from the get-go and the young Buick often used to ride out in the mornings before going to school – later suggesting he was "always late for school" as a result. 

He had his father's blessing and it clearly didn't stop him getting a good education as he's fluent in Norwegian, Danish, English and German now. 

He spent his summers riding out for the likes of Marcus Tregoning and Andrew Balding in his formative days and his first ride on Tiny Tim at Brighton in August 2006 for the latter. 

He shared the champion apprentice jockey title in 2008 with David Probert and won the Lester Award for Apprentice Jockey of the Year two years running in 2007 and 2008. 

Making the move to Clarehaven

Buick won his first Group 1 race, the E. P. Taylor Stakes in Woodbine, Canada, on Lahaleeb for trainer Mick Channon in October 2009 and, by the turn of the year, he was offered the job as stable jockey to John Gosden. 

Dar Re Mi got him off on a good note winning the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan that spring and the partnership enjoyed further top-level success that year with Debussy in the Arlington Million at Colonial Downs in the US. 

Come September 2010 and Buick was to sample his first taste of Classic success on British soil as Arctic Cosmos won the St Leger at Doncaster for the Gosden yard. 

The partnership would repeat that success 12 months later as Masked Marvel scored on Town Moor in the final Classic of the season. 

More major successes awaited, including the Yorkshire Oaks and the Irish Champion Stakes on The Fugue in 2014 before Buick took on his next big job.

Boys in blue sign up Buick

In late 2014 it was announced that Buick had signed with Godolphin and would be riding the pick of the horses in the famous silks of Sheikh Mohammed from a wealth of top training yards. 

Victory aboard Prince Bishop in the Dubai World Cup the following spring for Saeed bin Suroor was a near-perfect early statement from Buick at Godolphin's home carnival. 

That summer he was second on Jack Hobbs in the Epsom Derby before winning the Irish version at the Curragh. 

Plenty more success would come his way in the years that followed, including top miler Ribchester in the 2017 Lockinge at Newbury but it was in the summer of 2018 that Buick delivered the big one. 

Masar ends Derby wait for Godolphin

The Epsom Derby is the most sought-after Flat of them all for breeders and Godolphin badly craved a win in the premier Classic of the British season. 

They'd come close but, heading into the 2018 renewal, it was a prize that remained elusive. Sent off at 16/1 having finished third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket as Saxon Warrior won for Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore – the long-term rivals of Godolphin – Masar was given a smooth ride by Buick and they came home clear of Dee Ex Bee and Roaring Lion for a landmark win at Epsom. 

The victory helped propel Charlie Appleby to becoming number one trainer for Godolphin and a host of major worldwide races have followed in the intervening years – including the 2021 Derby with Adayar in the famous blue colours (this time with Adam Kirby on board). 

Buick established as top rider

A fascinating duel for the jockeys' title in 2021 went the way of Oisin Murphy after he and Buick battled all the way to Champions Day at Ascot but it was the latter that reigned supreme in 2022, powering clear and wrapping up an inevitable first championship with plenty to spare. 

As well as the breakout Derby win, Buick has provided his retained owners with lots of top level successes, including his third St Leger on Hurricane Lane in 2021, Dewhurst wins at Newmarket with Pinatubo (2019), Native Trail (2021) and the 2023 Lockinge at Newbury on Modern Games. 

That contender is 9/4 to get Buick's 2023 Royal Ascot off to a flyer in the Queen Anne Stakes on 20th June, while 4/1 Adayar is a live contender for Prince Of Wales's Stakes glory a day later.

bet365 News Team

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