William Buick follows Rebel’s Romance defeat with ‘copybook’ Breeders’ Cup Mile win
After being denied a third Breeders’ Cup Turf success on the globetrorring favourite by Willie Mullins, Buick delivered success for Godolphin on Notable Speech
Ninety minutes after being denied a third Breeders’ Cup Turf victory on Rebel’s Romance, William Buck picked himself up to produce a copybook ride on Notable Speech to win the Mile at Del Mar on Saturday.
Rebel’s Romance, victorious in 2022 and 2024, was hotly fancied to clinch his tenth top level victory in the Turf but was denied his place in history by surprise winner Ethical Diamond, trained by the British and Irish champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins. Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin team took defeat on the chin and went out with similar expectations of Notable Speech, as long as he got the breaks.
Notable Speech has to be held up and Buick had to smuggle him around the inside of the course hugging the rail.
It was a brave route but when a gap emerged halfway up the straight, Notable Speech produced another gear and exploded to the front, cutting down Rhetorical to streak to an impressive success from Formidable Man with The Lion In Winter third.
“I’ve been everything on this horse,” said Buick. “I’ve been a hero and a villain so to be honest Charlie always fills me with great confidence. When your trainer gives you that confidence to do what’s right by the horse in the race it helps.
“Today he broke better than we hoped. We were two rows back but I was always going to ride down the inside. When it comes off it looks great, when it doesn’t you’re a villain.”
Buick and Appleby have now won the Mile in four of the last five years. Notable Speech finished third in the race 12 months ago.
Buick added: “I was very pleased with Rebel’s Romance. I love riding for him. Even though I finished second I still get a lift, get a buzz. I am so proud of him.”
Notable Speech travelled to the Breeders’ Cup last year at the end of a campaign which began with victory in the 2,000 Guineas.
Appleby said: “He was the highest profile horse we’d ever brought here. He was tailormade for this track. He’s had to learn. The experience at Woodbine was the making of him.
“Will’s ride was copybook. If you had to write the script of how to ride around here that was it. Will got him out, got a nice pitch. We knew at the cutaway he had that electric turn of foot.”
The race ended in disappointment for Frankie Dettori on his final ride at the Breeders' Cup and in North America. The retiring superstar, winner of 15 Breeders' Cup races, finished down the field on Argine.
Before going out to ride he said: " I feel better than I thought i was going to be. I am trying to take it all in. I’m pretty relaxed. I’ve had a great time. I’m going to enjoy my last one. Of course I’m sad it’s coming to an end but I think it’s the right time."