Frankie Dettori's farewell tour has well and truly started, with the Italian guiding Juddmonte's Chaldean to QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) success on a wet day Saturday on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.
Some would've wondered what might've been for Dettori when he hit the post earlier in the card, losing out by a head aboard Saga three races earlier on the card for King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Coronation Day. However, Chaldean's persistence in the Group 1 gave Frankie a fairytale 2000 Guineas victory on his last year in the saddle.
The pre-race talk had been largely about Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin, who went off favorite, but he didn't live up to his 'Triple Crown' potential when finishing 12th of a field of 14. Oisin Murphy and Hi Royal finished second, 1 3/4 lengths back, with huge odds of 125-1, shared most of the running with the winner, before the Juddmonte horse stormed clear of the field. Royal Scotsman, who raced keenly, ran an enormous race to finish in third place, another half length back in the 14d-horse field.
Time for the one-mile trip was 1:41.64 on turf rated as soft.
A jubilant Dettori saluted the crowd on his way into the Winners Enclosure, before delivering his iconic flying dismount.
Chaldean, by Juddmonte's 2011 Guineas victor Frankel out of the Dutch Art mare Suelita, gave Dettori a fourth 2000 Guineas victory.
“It [the emotion] has really hit me now – I've got a lump in my throat. It's incredible.” Dettori said.
It's safe to say Chaldean's prep didn't quite go to plan, when chucking off Dettori when leaving the stalls in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. It didn't look to have an effect with the colt completing an across-the-card double for trainer Andrew Balding.
The farewell tour is well and truly underway and Dettori will be looking for a famous Guineas double as he takes the ride on Lezoo in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday.
Chaldean was bred in Great Britain by Whitsbury Manor Stud.
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