By Daithi Harvey
William Buick has gone from potentially missing the Epsom Derby through suspension to picking up a ride on a leading fancy for the race next Saturday. Having had his York ban reduced to four days, thus leaving the rider free to ride in the Derby, Buick has now secured the mount on the Mark Johnston trained Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the great race. The 3-year-old seems to be thriving on his racing and his last performance when winning the G2 Betfred Dante at York leaves him a prime candidate for the Derby. Having sat up on the colt in a piece of exercise on Saturday Buick said, “I'm very pleased to be riding him on Saturday. He's in good shape and I was very happy with him. He's always been a very neat horse physically, very well-balanced. He's improved from two to three, and I feel he has improved again from the spring to now.” The Dante at York has proved a reliable pointer to Epsom success with Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) the last horse to do the double when winning at York in 2015, incidentally when partnered by Buick, and the jockey thinks his mount also has the temperament to handle the hustle and bustle of Epsom. “Mentally, he is solid. He has a good mind. In any year, the Dante winner is never far away in the Derby, and I hope that proves true again this time,” he added.
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