Derby day drama as Buick is head-butted by horse in stalls

Derby Day began in the most dramatic fashion when leading jockey William Buick was left dazed after being head-butted by a horse in an adjacent stall before the first race.

Buick was waiting for the start of the Cazoo Handicap Stakes aboard the well-fancied Blue Trail when the horse drawn next to him, Approachability, swung round and gave him a hefty blow to the head.

The incident was captured by an overhead camera, which you can watch below.

Seconds later, the race began but Buick, a bit like a boxer having taken a heavy punch, was still recovering, perched on the infrastructure. Blue Trail ran off on his own but was later deemed to be a non-runner for betting purposes.

Buick, 33, who missed three months of the 2019 season with concussion, walked back to the changing room unaided and was later cleared to take his remaining rides. He was out of luck in the Derby but later rode a narrow winner and said: "I'm fine, I've just never seen anything like that happen before."

A report from the stewards read: "The stewards accepted that Approachability, drawn six, had thrown its head to the left hitting the head of Buick, resulting in Buick becoming temporarily incapacitated and distributing his weight onto the left side of the starting stalls running board and consequently not being fully mounted when the start was effected."

Buick is employed by Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, with the latter saying: "He's OK. It was a nasty blow and he was lucky he had the hat on. He said for a couple of seconds he was catching his breath, but he's fine which is the main thing."

There was also drama at the end of the race with the riderless Blue Trail hindering the Grenoble in the closing stages. The latter was beaten a head with Swilican Bridge, trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Hayley Turner, taking the spoils.

Balding said: “Hayley did a great job on him because it was all a little bit confusing with the loose horse, but she had him in the perfect position and got him rolling early enough which was the difference between winning and losing. So I was thrilled with the ride.

“He had a run here earlier in the year and he had run very well at Goodwood last time out and he crept in from out of the handicap today, but when you have got the opportunity to run for this sort of prize-money, if he is going to take a 10lb hike, it doesn’t matter.

“It is just a thrill to have a winner on Derby Day. He is a joy to train and could keep on improving.”

Before racing, Buick, favourite to win this year’s Jockeys’ Championship, had been all smiles as he formed part of spectacular guard of honour for the royal party ahead of racing on Derby Day at Epsom.

The greats of the saddle, dressed in the famous purple and gold silks, lined up on the steps overlooking the hat-box winner’s enclosure before heading on to the track to greet the Princess Royal and other members of the entourage.

Frankie Dettori said he was “honoured” to be among the riders, who also included current stars Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand, and Derby-winning riders Kieren Fallon, Johnny Murtagh and Martin Dwyer, along with champion jump jockeys Barry Geraghty and Sir Anthony McCoy.

Dettori said: “I felt like I did as an apprentice 30 years ago! What a nice touch that was. It was a lovely spectacle and it is one picture I will definitely get on my wall, that was unique where we were all stood on the steps.”

Steve Cauthen, who won the Derby three times and was a regular in Her Majesty’s silks in the 1980s, flew in from Kentucky to be part of the parade.

He said: “It was an honour to be invited over here for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I received the invite. It is such a thrill to be here with all these great jockeys. It was always an honour to ride for Her Majesty The Queen and to celebrate her in this way is wonderful.

“It is a pity she can’t be here, but I’m sure she is watching on TV and we all send her our very best wishes. It was always an honour to put on these silks and it still is.”