SPOT ON: Buick wins another Group One earlier this month on board Izzi Top
By Josh Powell
Red-hot jockey William Buick is in the form of his life at the moment and will take the ride on Australian horse Ortensia for the July Cup at Newmarket this weekend.
Buick has won four Group One races in the last month and looks so good he could probably win this race riding a Shetland pony. Luckily for punters he has got an even better chance on Ortensia who has won multiple Group Ones herself and is a tasty 10/1 with Paddy Power.
In his latest success on board the John Gosden trained Nathaniel at the weekend, Buick held off the favourite Farhh to win the Coral Eclipse and a cheeky chunk of the £240,000 prize pot.
Ortensia was a disappointing joint-favourite at Ascot last time out but with Buick on board there’s every chance the mare can bounce back to winning ways at Newmarket.
Bated breath is the 11/4 favourite and was six lengths clear of Ortensia in the King’s Stand Stakes last month. Excelebration has been unfortunate enough to have spent most of his career chasing Frankel’s tail but is a top quality horse and is 5/1 for the July Cup.
In a high quality race both horse and jockey will have to be in untouchable form to hit the line first. Ortensia needs to come up with a better run than last time out but William Buick could be the man to get the best out of the seven-year-old.
The jockey has been on fire and punters have been quick to respond. Buick has seen plenty of support to win the UK Flat Jockeys’ Championship and has been backed in to 7/2 from 6/1.
