Charlie Appleby and William Buick are on the verge of achieving a rare and remarkable milestone in Flat racing, as they aim to complete the coveted set of all five English Classics. Desert Flower, the 1,000 Guineas winner and favorite, will run in the Oaks at Epsom on Friday, offering them the chance to join an exclusive group of trainers and jockeys who have triumphed across all five prestigious races.
Since the Second World War, only 11 trainers and eight jockeys have managed to secure victories in all five Classics. The list reads like a who’s who of racing legends, featuring the likes of Vincent O’Brien, Sir Henry Cecil, and Aidan O’Brien on the trainers’ side, with legendary riders such as Lester Piggott, Steve Cauthen, and Pat Eddery also among the elite few. More recently, only Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore have joined this distinguished club of jockeys.
William Buick’s Classic career began in 2010 when he rode Arctic Cosmos to victory in the St Leger. Fifteen years later, he remains one of the few riders chasing the full set. Meanwhile, Appleby’s journey has been remarkably swift. Since Masar’s Derby win in 2017, he has added the St Leger with Hurricane Lane in 2021, and secured two Guineas wins with Notable Speech in 2024 and Desert Flower this year. Now, only an Oaks winner stands between him and completing the set in just eight years a feat few have matched.
Completing this rare sporting journey is often the hardest step. Even the great Lester Piggott, regarded as one of the greatest Classic jockeys ever, had to wait 16 years after his first Derby win before capturing the 1,000 Guineas in 1970. This underscores the challenge facing Appleby and Buick as they prepare for the Oaks.
Desert Flower faces a challenging field of eight rivals, including three runners from Aidan O’Brien’s stable, which boasts an impressive record in Oaks trials. One notable challenger is Elwateen, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, who finished a close fourth behind Desert Flower in the 1,000 Guineas and was entered as a supplementary entry. Suroor, once a dominant force for Godolphin, has seen his string diminish as Appleby’s influence has grown, making the potential clash all the more intriguing. Ironically, Elwateen could be the filly to prevent Appleby’s milestone victory.
A key question remains over Desert Flower’s stamina for the Oaks’ 12 furlongs. While Buick believes in her versatility and ability to adapt to race conditions, her pedigree suggests her strengths lie under 10 furlongs. “We could have kept her at a mile,” Buick said, “but we all felt she would get further. Whether that is a mile-and-a-quarter or a mile-and-a-half, we will see on Friday.” The race is expected to be a true test of stamina and speed.
Ryan Moore’s decision to ride Minnie Hauk, the comfortable Cheshire Oaks winner, could be significant. Although rated third-best among O’Brien’s trio, Minnie Hauk impressed with a strong performance over an extended distance and is considered a good bet to give O’Brien an 11th Oaks success.
Other notable runners on the card include Saqqara Sands in the 1.30 race, a horse with plenty of potential for improvement; Havana Hurricane, who shares a similar profile to a previous winner for Eve Johnson Houghton; and Calandagan, who is long overdue his first Group One victory and carries several pounds in hand. In later races, Have Secret is in strong form, while Mirsky aims to follow up on a recent win despite a small weight penalty.
As the excitement builds for the Oaks and the chance for Appleby and Buick to join the elite ranks, racing fans will be watching closely to see if Desert Flower can deliver that final, defining victory on the Epsom turf.
