Ascot round-up: Blue Point marks winning return for William Buick
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
By Racinguk.com staff
William Buick made a winning comeback from injury when making all the running on Blue Point in the John Guest Bengough Stakes at Ascot.
Absent since fracturing his T12 vertebra in a fall from the ill-fated Permian at Arlington Park in August, Buick wasted no time in getting on the scoresheet.
With no apparent pace in the Group Three contest, Buick was allowed an easy lead on the Charlie Appleby-trained Commonwealth Cup third and Sprint Cup fourth Blue Point, who was soon several lengths clear of the field.
However, the even-money favourite got lonely in front and was getting caught after being in the lead so long. Projection was gaining at the line and got within half a length of Blue Point. Magical Memory was three and a quarter lengths away in third.
Buick said: "He's a better horse on fast ground. He has shown today he's quite versatile making all the running on pretty slow ground. He's a good horse and I believe he's staying in training so we'll see more of him next year.
"It's fantastic and I have to thank a lot of people. First of all, Sheikh Mohammed who has been very supportive all along and this horse is not a bad ride to come back on, so my thanks to Charlie and all the team at home.
"It's nice to be back and thankfully I didn't make any mistakes. This year's three-year-old sprinters are a fantastic bunch and Charlie and everyone at home have had no qualms about him.
"We have always thought he was right up there with them and he's a horse that is going to be dining at the top table with all the others."
Blue Point is now two wins from three appearances in Berkshire and it is one apiece between him and Harry Angel. Blue Point is now no better than 12-1 for the Qipco Britih Champions Sprint on October 21, with fellow Godolphin representative Harry Angel a standout 13-8 with betfair.
Earlier in the afternoon Sean Levey and Danehill Kodiac kept French Derby runner-up Waldgeist at bay to land the Group Three spoils in the Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes.
The Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old made all the running in game style for Sean Levey and pulled out extra in the closing stages when Andre Fabre's raider produced a late effort as the 4-7 favourite.
A previous course and distance winner, Danehill Kodiac (8-1) set a decent pace and soon had the field well strung out.
The pack found it hard to get to the leader, who was still a neck in front at the line. Waldgeist, who had not run since finishing fourth in the Irish Derby 98 days ago, could not quite get there after being held up by Vincent Cheminaud for much of the mile-and-a-half contest.
Secret Number was a length and three-quarters away in third.
Levey said: "He's a lovely horse. You don't always get the chance to keep a lot of older horses in training, especially nice ones like him.
"It's so good for all the connections. They bought him two years ago. He had a few setbacks, they sat with him.
"Last year he won here and was placed here and I told connections to stick with him and wait for him. I said he's going to be a lovely horse."
Just Glamorous bounced back to his best in amazing fashion as he sprang a 33-1 surprise in the Hope And Homes For Children Rous Stakes.
The Ron Harris-trained four-year-old had been out of form all season and had hardly beaten a rival since taking the scalp of Marsha in a Group Three at Chantilly 13 months ago.
However, Just Glamorous showed he still has plenty of ability by making all the running under a positive ride by Oisin Murphy.
He was able to dictate affairs and kept up the gallop to score by three-quarters of a length from Sir Robert Cheval. Waady, the 10-11 favourite, was slightly disappointing in third after sweating up beforehand.
Murphy said: "They have clearly done a fantastic job at home with him. Fair play to Ron and his team, credit to him.
"I rode him a long time ago and felt he was a very good horse, a very fast horse. He's gone back to a fair level today."
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