Buick lands Gosden job

William Buick will take over from Jimmy Fortune as stable jockey to John Gosden this year.

Buick, 21, was joint champion apprentice in Britain in 2008 and has been based with Andrew Balding at Kingsclere.

He is currently in Dubai but his father Walter, a multiple champion jockey in Norway and now race reader for the Press Association, confirmed his son was to take the top job.

"I've always thought a big job was coming his way but I never thought it would be this year," said Buick senior.

"It's fantastic, a huge thing for him.

"When I was riding abroad he was always with me from early on. He knew the racing game before he was 12 years of age

"He's such an ambassador that he made sure Andrew Balding was the first person to know.

"He didn't want Andrew to read it in any newspaper article because he owes the Baldings an awful lot.

"He's put that right and Andrew was very pleased on his behalf."

It is a blow for Fortune, who began to team up regularly with the Newmarket handler back in 2005 and he enjoyed his first Classic winner aboard Gosden's Lucarno in 2007.

Fortune enjoyed plenty of other high-profile victories for Gosden but after riding Raven's Pass to victory in the 2008 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, he was replaced by Dettori at the Breeders' Cup meeting.

Dettori also rode Gosden's horses at last year's Breeders' Cup meeting, including Juvenile Turf winner Pounced.

"Mr Gosden phoned me, we had a little chat and it's been decided that I won't be riding for him this year," Fortune told the Guardian.

"I didn't have a retainer and there has been no falling out, but John felt that since the situation with the jockeys at the Breeders' Cup had arisen, there had been a bit of a wedge driven between us.

"Of course I am extremely disappointed. It has been a good job and we have had five or six very successful years together but I feel as I am leaving on a high.

"Greater jockeys than me have lost their jobs before - Kieren Fallon and Mick Kinane have both experienced the same sort of thing and both of them didn't look back afterwards.

"I'm only 37 years old, I feel good physically and, as they say, as one door closes another opens.

"Even in the last few hours, I have already had a couple of offers for other jobs. I am a very positive person and I am very positive about what the future holds for me."