On his debut he won the Quail Stakes at kempton Park on 1 April, defeating the Ayr Gold Cup winner Continent by a short head.
In the Listed Abernant Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket two weeks later he was ridden by Jimmy Fortune and started third favourite behind Continent and Invincible Spirit.
He recorded his first important victory as he finished strongly to beat Continent by a neck with Needwood Blade taking third ahead of Invincible Spirit.
[10] In the Listed Spring Trophy at Haydock Park on 4 May he started 11/8 favourite in a seven-runner field and won again, beating Patsy's Double by one and a half lengths.
Ridden by Richard Hughes he took the lead in the straight and maintained his advantage until the final furlong when he was overtaken and finished third behind Rock of Gibraltar and Noverre.
After looking unlikely to obtain clear run he took the lead inside the final furlong and held off the late challenge of his stable companion Umistim to win by a short head and record his first Group race success.
"[13] According to the Sunday Mirror, the trainer had mixed feelings about the result: he described the winner as "a grand servant" who "deserved to win a big race" before adding "I hope I haven't upset Umistim's owner too much.
On his final appearance of the season, he ran poorly in the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket in October, finishing sixteenth of the eighteen runners behind Nayyir.
On 30 July, ridden by the 51-year-old Pat Eddery, Reel Buddy made his second attempt to win the Sussex Stakes and started a 20/1 outsider in a nine-runner field.
After turning into the straight, the runners moved towards the centre of the course and Zafeen, Trade Fair all made progress to dispute the lead approaching the final furlong.
Reel Buddy, having been still last of the nine runners entering the last quarter mile, was switched to the right and began to make rapid progress on the inside (Goodwood is a right-handed track).
[18] Eddery had announced that he would retire at the end of the season, and as he returned to the winner's circle on Reel Buddy, he was given a standing ovation by his fellow jockeys.
After being held up by Eddery at the rear of the field, he made progress into sixth place in the straight but tired in the closing stages and finished last of the fourteen runners behind Nebraska Tornado.