Derby day at Epsom kicked off in dramatic circumstances as jockey William Buick’s horse ran without him aboard it after a rival horse struck him in the head from the neighbouring stall.
Buick, who missed out on a second Derby triumph on Nations Pride, was sat aboard Blue Trail in the 1m2f handicap event that began in the afternoon. Remarkably, Approachability reared up in the stall next to Buick and smacked him in the head, only for the starter to let the field go with the 33-year-old still reeling.
Blue Trail went as the gates opened but was riderless as Buick was left in the stalls. Declared a non-runner, the horse appeared to have an influence on the race result as he interfered when runner-up Grenoble was chasing eventual winner Swilcan Bridge.
