Yahoo Sport UK columnist Jim Crowley: Sympathy for Buick

Top jockey and Bet4Causes Flat Racing Brand Ambassador Jim Crowley provides his exclusive thoughts on his weekend rides each week in the Racing Plus newspaper and on Yahoo Sport UK. In his latest column, he looks ahead to a big day at Haydock Park on Saturday…

You never quite know what goes through the minds of French Stewards. They are always very strict and not for the first time I find myself shaking my head over a decision.

William Buick will miss a large part of the summer Flat season after a 30-day ban imposed on him by the Chantilly stewards was upheld by France Gallop at an appeal on Wednesday.

Buick was deemed to have played a major role in the interference that led Pierre-Charles Boudot’s mount Armande falling in the Prix de Diane on June 19. The ban, initially for 15 days, was doubled after the Godolphin rider’s “offensive” behaviour towards officials, and it begins tomorrow.

I actually feel quite sorry for Will. There was an incident before the fall where his mount, Highlands Queen, was impeded, which I felt was worse. It was unlucky for him that someone came off and you get a mandatory 15 days if one comes down.

These things happen, yet a degree of common sense should prevail in the aftermath.

Will (below) obviously felt frustrated in the heat of the moment and said something he should not, but it is not always easy to keep your cool.

In a race, your blood is up. It is like being in a fight. The adrenalin kicks in and then immediately afterwards you are expected to be calm and composed. You are asked to go from one extreme to another.

If someone cuts you up for example – as happened to Will – you really have to try and bite your lip or count to ten. Even then, when emotions are running high, it is never easy to hold a sharp tongue. Jockeys can get irked or outraged, but in some ways, it is only because they care.

Will is obviously remorseful and will learn from it, yet as a jockey, I can understand how frustrated he must have felt.

There is no doubt he is going to be missed by racing fans, who have been robbed of a star.

I pay one of my rare visits to Haydock Park this afternoon. Last year I had a couple of winners at the Merseyside track and this will be my first visit of the season.

Duretto (2.50) runs in the Old Newtown Cup and he looks as though he would have a good chance.

Twice a winner at Ascot last summer, he wasn’t beaten far by King Bolete when he made his seasonal debut back there in May, and while I was very hopeful Andrew Balding’s runner (below) would win at Epsom on Derby day, I felt I may have ridden him bit too handily when fifth to Green Light.

He jumped off well and got a good position, but it transpired that he lost a shoe early on, which did not help. He is an improving four-year-old whom I quite like, the 1m4f trip is ideal and he races off the same mark of 94 as he had at Epsom. With the ground is in his favour, I am expecting a big run in what looks a competitive renewal.

Fairway To Heaven (4.35) will carry top weight in the 6f handicap. I was second on him at Goodwood last year and he was again second at Windsor. After that, he had sore shins, but I think Michael Wigham has got him back and he is very hopeful of a big run.

At Windsor on Monday, I ride Spiritofedinburgh (6.35) for Brendan Powell, who was a decent third at Leicester last time out on only his second start, and he stayed on nicely. That was over six furlongs and he should go okay in the maiden over the same trip.

I also partner Electrify (8.35) for Jeremy Noseda in mile maiden. She is a daughter of Invincible Spirit who cost 52,000 euros as a yearling and her dam was a 1m2f winner and a half-sister to the top-class middle-distance performer Epalo. I have not sat on her, so don’t know much about her, but Jeremy’s stable has been going well of late.

One for the notebook

Of my winners in the past week or so, the David Simcock-trained three-year-old West Coast Flyer, who scored over an extended 1m4f at Newcastle, is one to keep on your side. I really liked him.

He was a bit of a baby and it took me a while to get him wound up in the extended 1m4 conditions race, but he is a big, scopey sort and I should think he will progress mentally and physically.

West Coast Flyer is a gorgeous-looking son of Cape Cross and he probably won with a bit more in hand than the three-quarters of a length margin suggests. That was only the fourth run of his career and he will improve for going up in trip as well.

There were also a couple of defeats to take on the chin, not least with Arch Villain in the Northumberland Plate. I went to follow one of the leaders and found myself without much room, and got shuffled back after being stopped when making my run. Draw a line through that form as he would have definitely been placed had we not been stopped.

On Thursday, I was involved in a race where most of my rivals carrying a lot more condition, yet I still found myself beaten.

Yes, it was the Dads’ race at my children’s school sports day.

Despite being the fittest of the field, I did not have the best draw, the ground wasn’t right, the trip was not ideal and I probably could probably have done with blinkers and a tongue strap.

I finished (a brave) second.

Fortunately, no-one threw a bucket of water over me to cool me down afterwards, although my wife says gelding is likely to be the most viable option for me now!

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