How many British Classic winners has William Buick ridden?
Having shared the apprentice jockeys’ title with David Probert in 2008, during his time with Andrew Balding, William Buick rode his first Grade 1 or Group 1 winner, Lahaleeb, trained by Mick Channon, in the E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario, Canada in October, 2009. The following January, Buick replaced Jimmy Fortune as stable jockey to John Gosden at Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket and, the following September, rode his first British Classic winner, Arctic Cosmos, trained by Gosden, in the St. Leger at Doncaster.
Lo and behold, Buick won the St. Leger again in 2011 on Masked Marvel, also trained by Gosden. It would be another decade before he won the oldest Classic again but, in 2021, he guided odds-on favourite Hurricane Lane, trained by Charlie Appleby, to a comfortable 2¾-length win on Town Moor. Indeed, three weeks later, Hurricane Lane went tantalisingly close to becoming the first horse in history to complete the St. Leger – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe double.
The St. Leger aside, Buick also famously won the Derby on Masar, also trained by Appleby, in 2018. In so doing, he registered the first win in the Epsom Classic for the royal blue silks of Godolphin, for whom he signed in 2015. So, to answer the headline question, Buick currently has four British Classic winners to his name.