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Royal Ascot: William Buick offered vacant ride on Breeders’ Cup winner Audarya

3 minute read

William Buick has been offered the ride on Breeders’ Cup winner Audarya if she returns to action at Royal Ascot next week.

Jockey: WILLIAM BUICK
Jockey: WILLIAM BUICK Picture: Steve Hart

The Godolphin jockey has been approached to take the reins on last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner in Wednesday's Prince of Wales's Stakes. He was on board The Fugue when she became the last filly to win the G1 race in 2014.

Audarya recorded two G1 wins in 2020 under different jockeys. Ioritz Mendizabal rode her to victory in the Prix Jean Romanet and French champion Pierre-Charles Boudot was in the saddle at Keeneland, but he is serving a suspension after being charged with rape.

Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily podcast, trainer James Fanshawe said: "Ioritz was going to ride her in France last week. We've made various approaches and have approached William Buick to ride her if he's about next week."

Audarya has not run since she beat Rushing Fall by a neck in November and would be taking on males at pattern level for the first time if she contests the Prince of Wales.

"She looks really well and worked nicely this morning," said Fanshawe. "She will be left in and we'll see how things go but she is also in the Pretty Polly at the end of the month at the Curragh.

"We have to start somewhere so we will see what's left in and play it by ear. She was very progressive last season and it makes it quite difficult to pick your first race. We were going to go to France last week but I'm glad we didn't because that was a complete bog out there, and it's a lot easier to go to Ascot than go to the Curragh.

"Let's see how she is up to the weekend and I will have a chat with her owner Alison Swinburn. You just hope that one day she can take on the highest grade. Whether that should be first run or later in the year is the million dollar question. She goes on all ground. I wouldn't want it rock-hard but hopefully on the second day of Ascot it won't be."

The Prince of Wales's betting is headed by last year's race winner Lord North and could also feature Classic-winning filly Love but Addeybb has been rated an unlikely starter by trainer William Haggas.

"He is ready to go but the weather gods aren't on our side," he told RadioTAB Australia. "It's too dry so I very much doubt whether we will confirm him."

Haggas, who would still be represented by My Oberon, said Addeybb would wait for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes.


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