About William Buick
William comes from a family with a strong equestrian background.
Born in Norway on July 22, 1988, William’s interest in horses came naturally. His Scottish-born father, Walter, was a multiple champion jockey in Scandinavia, while his Danish mother, Maria, was a show jumper and dressage rider.
William finished second in his first ever ride in public, at Brighton in August 2006 and, just a month later, secured the first winner of his career aboard Bank On Benny at Salisbury.
The following year, he rode an impressive 67 winners, collecting the first of two consecutive titles as Apprentice of the Year at the Professional Jockeys Association Lesters Awards.
After winning his first Group 1, aboard Mick Channon’s Lahaleeb in the E P Taylor Stakes in Canada in 2009, William had truly hit the big time and was appointed John Gosden’s stable jockey.
The combination gelled almost immediately as Dar Re Mi earned William the first of his record five wins in the Dubai Sheema Classic, while he would add the Arlington Million and his first British Classic, aboard Arctic Cosmos later in 2010.
William, Charlie Appleby and Godolphin – a winning combination.
William has now been involved in a partnership with Godolphin, one of the world’s most powerful racing organisations, for a decade.
As first jockey for Charlie Appleby, he has played a crucial role in creating champions on the track including Pinatubo, Ghaiyyath, Native Trail and Adayar.
As well as riding regularly in Dubai and around Asia, William has reached the very top of the tree at home.
In 2022, he was crowned British Champion Flat Jockey for the first time with a dominant performance, his 157 wins in the campaign being well clear of this rivals. William retained his focus to retain his title the following season.
Career timeline →
William the dedicated family man and charity supporter.
Beyond his racing career, William is a dedicated family man. In August 2021, William married his long-term partner, Jane Duncan, at Cheveley Parish Church near Newmarket.
William loves nothing more than spending time with his family and the couple have two sons, Thomas and Oscar.
Their eldest son, Thomas, has autism, and both William and Jane actively support Autism in Racing, serving as ambassadors for the cause. Away from the sport, William’s other interests include snowboarding and art. He is fluent in Norwegian and retains close ties with his homeland.
More about charities →
