Buick reaches 2,000 wins - then eyes another 1,000

WIlliam Buick was champion jockey in 2022 and 2023

William Buick rode his 2,000th British winner and immediately targeted another 1,000.

The 36-year-old brought up the landmark with victory on El Cordobes, trained by Charlie Appleby, in the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket.

Buick went clear in the closing stages to record a two-length win over Wimbledon Hawkeye.

Odds-on favourite Ghostwriter was withdrawn after rearing up in the pre-parade ring.

"It's a great milestone and we're looking for the next thousand now," Buick told BBC Sport.

"It's a big achievement. It's longevity, hard work, dedication that gets you to those numbers.

"Probably the most important thing is support from trainers, owners, my family and the horses themselves. Without them, none of those things can happen."

Buick soon reached 2,001 and 2,002 winners when Crimson Rose ran out an impressive winner of the six-furlong fillies' maiden in the next race before Opera Ballo landed the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.

'A golden period for jockeys'

Buick, born in Norway but based in Newmarket for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin team, is the sixth jockey currently riding to reach 2,000 British winners, but none of those have made it to 3,000.

Buick turned professional in 2006 and said he hopes to carry on riding at the top level for another decade.

"You want to keep going. I'm in and around my prime in my career, at the age of 36, soon to be 37," said Buick, who won the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas in May with Ruling Court and Desert Flower respectively.

"Touch wood, I've got many more good years left in the saddle and I want to really make it count.

"We've had Ryan [Moore] and Frankie [Dettori] and plenty of other names in the weighing room - we are in a golden period of jockeys at the moment.

"So we need to embrace it, keep going and keep making it special."