Tag: Frankie Dettori

Dettori Cancels Retirement Plans to Ride in America

Frankie Dettori attended a photo call in London on Thursday morning, posing underneath a banner saying 'Thank You Frankie' to mark his forthcoming final ride in Britain at QIPCO British Champions Day on October 21.

But while this was taking place, the Racing Post published a story online with quotes from the jockey stating that his long-held retirement plans are off and that he will ride next year in America, basing himself at Santa Anita. 

Dettori's stated plan had been to ride at some of the major international meetings through to the end of the year after waving goodbye to Britain at his beloved Ascot. His decision to stall his retirement and move to California will not come as a surprise to many within the racing industry, but it does rather undermine the drawn out farewell tour he has been conducting in Europe throughout the season.

He told Lee Mottershead of the Racing Post, “I didn't expect this year to be so successful. I feel like I still have to get it all out of my system, so the obvious choice for me is to move full-time to America because I had such a good time there over the winter. I'm going to be based at Santa Anita but I'll also do a bit of stuff on the international scene in Dubai and Saudi Arabia when available.”

Dettori, who had been in tears in Deauville in the summer when French racing acknowledged his final ride at the track, admitted that he had started to rethink retirement after winning the G1 Juddmonte International aboard Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for his long-term ally John Gosden.

In a post on his Twitter account on Thursday morning, Dettori said, “I'm in London promoting British Champions Day, and it will be my last one ever. But, a scoop for you guys, I've decided to prolong my career and I am going to go to the United States from next year.”

He did not, however, rule out the possibility that he could yet reappear in Britain, the country which has been his home for 37 years.

“I accept that's a question but at the moment I can't see any further than the Kentucky Derby,” he told the Racing Post. “My goal is to get a decent ride in that. I therefore can't answer the question yet.

“In the past, American jockeys have come over to Royal Ascot to ride for people like Wesley Ward. It would all depend on how it clashes with the American calendar. I am committed to going to America and having a proper go at it there. I can't be going backwards and forwards between America and Britain like a yo-yo. That would be impossible.

“I'll tackle the question of riding in Britain again closer to the time. I can't say yes, I can't say no because I don't know. We'll see.”

 

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Inspiral Gives Frankie His 500th Newmarket Win In The Sun Chariot

Frankie's farewell tour took another notable turn on Saturday as Cheveley Park Stud's brilliant Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}– Starscope {GB}, by Selkirk) dominated the G1 Sun Chariot S. to provide the rider with his 500th Newmarket winner.

Always travelling like the clear-best filly in the line-up with Dettori keen to wait behind the leader, the 10-11 favourite was unleashed towards the far rail three out and surged to the line with relish to score by 3 3/4 lengths from Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), with Heredia (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) 3/4 of a length away in third.

“She showed the world today what a superstar horse she is,” Dettori said after the expected warm welcome back to the winner's enclosure he knows so well and where he received a curtsey from the filly's owner-breeder Patricia Thompson. “We knew the pace wasn't going to be that strong and she wants a much stronger tempo. She has got a crescendo of three furlongs and I didn't want to mess around so I thought 'come on let's go and let them come and try to catch you'. She has strode out really well.”

“She gave me a nightmare ride in France, but today she was good,” Dettori added. “I was quite worried when she was so quiet, as when they are quiet it is maybe because they are over the top or maybe they are in season, but that wasn't the case. She was quiet because she was having a good day. It has been my home for 38 years. It is fantastic to be able to do it in a Group 1 on a special filly. I couldn't have written a better ending.”

On her day and when conditions suit, Inspiral is a force to be reckoned with as she proved with impressive wins in Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. last June and in the last two editions of Deauville's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois. Not at her best when second in last year's G1 Falmouth S. on the July Course here and in the G1 Queen Anne S. on her 2023 bow, she had testing ground as the excuse when out of the frame in both the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in October and in the G1 Sussex S. in August.

Now the Gosdens are rightly thinking of the Breeders' Cup Mile, with Inspiral's dynamic acceleration and powerful finish clear indication that this is a filly heading into the autumn in rare form. Her two splits between three out and the furlong pole were completed in :11.21 and :11.01 and that is the kind of speed on demand that wins out at next month's World Championships. “She is in the QEII and she could be entered at the Breeders' Cup, but we won't make a decision for at least a week or two,” Gosden Sr said.

“She was in top form today,” he added. “She showed a lot of class today there is no doubt about it. She travelled well and there was a good pace. Andre's dual Group 1 winner from Deauville was second, so it is solid form. We missed the Lockinge as she had a muscle spasm problem, so by the time we got to Royal Ascot she was only about 80% fit. She was only beaten a neck that day and she got a touch tired in the last half a furlong, but she has been faultless since.”

“There was a lot more pressure on today as she is a very good filly and the ground is quicker here than we would expect to find here in the autumn. It is real fast summer ground, but she has run absolutely superbly and I couldn't be more pleased. One lady will decide if she races on and that is Mrs. Thompson. That was only her fourth run this year and she is weighing the heaviest she has ever weighed.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Inspiral's dam Starscope was runner-up over this course and distance in the G1 1000 Guineas and also in the Coronation S. that her daughter so dominated last summer. Also responsible for the listed-placed middle-distance performer Celestran (GB) (Dansili {GB}), she is a daughter of the Stud's Moon Goddess (GB) (Rainbow Quest) whose half-siblings include the G1 Eclipse S. and G1 Juddmonte International-winning leading sire Medicean (GB). From the dynasty of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero and leading sire Caro (Ire), Starscope's unraced 2-year-old colt by Siyouni (Fr) is named Megastar (GB), while she also has a yearling colt by Ulysses (Ire) and a foal full-sister to Inspiral.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
VIRGIN BET SUN CHARIOT S.-G1, £291,580, Newmarket, 10-7, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:35.65, g/f.
1–INSPIRAL (GB), 131, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Starscope (GB) (MG1SP-Eng, $251,626), by Selkirk
     2nd Dam: Moon Goddess (GB), by Rainbow Quest
     3rd Dam: Mystic Goddess, by Storm Bird
O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. £165,355. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Fr, 12-8-2-0, $2,599,932. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mqse de Sevigne (Ire), 131, f, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Penne (Fr), by Sevres Rose (Ire). O-Baron Edouard De Rothschild; B-SC Ecurie De Meautry (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. £62,690.
3–Heredia (GB), 131, f, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Nakuti (Ire), by Mastercraftsman (Ire).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-St Albans Bloodstock Limited; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Richard Hannon. £31,374.
Margins: 3 3/4, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.91, 3.30, 6.00.
Also Ran: Coppice (GB), Meditate (Ire), Random Harvest (Ire), Roman Mist (Ire), Goldana (Ire).

 

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The Curragh: O’Brien Prepares Beresford Assault

It is the time of year when ideas begin to form about the following season's Classics and with Derbys in mind, Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh offers food for thought. Aidan O'Brien's record in this mile staging post is plain remarkable, even by his standards, with a tally of 21 winners including St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Japan (GB) and Luxembourg (Ire) and the fact that he has a trio engaged in the race he missed out in 12 months ago for the first time since 2010 suggests he is looking to resume normal procedure.

With Ryan Moore in Australia, Frankie Dettori flies in to partner Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and full-brother to Never Ending Story (Ire) who put a debut fifth at Killarney behind him when scoring over an extended mile on heavy ground at the Galway festival in August. Colin Keane rides Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) who also won over that same course and distance this month, while the mile Leopardstown maiden winner Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the mount of Gavin Ryan.

“Chief Little Rock came forward nicely to win at Leopardstown but he only just won, we thought he'd win easier than he did,” O'Brien said. “He's in good form and we think he's a horse who is going to progress more. He's got a stout pedigree and will be staying well next year. Grosvenor Square won nicely at Galway, that was only 11 days ago. He's a lovely, big horse but he was babyish and green there, so we think the experience will do him well. He's another with plenty of stamina in his pedigree. Frankie is riding Navy Seal for us. He won nicely at Galway the last day, but he was a little but green. He ended up winning nicely at the end and we think he's ready to go again. The first day we were a bit disappointed, we expected him to run better but he was very green. He was still green the last day, so we're just hoping that he keeps coming forward.”

Joseph O'Brien attempts to stem the tide of Ballydoyle winners in this with Teme Valley Racing's Stromberg (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who steps up from seven furlongs for the first time having a Galway maiden and Roscommon conditions race by a total of 17 lengths, while Vimal Khosla's Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) brings the form of the Leopardstown's G2 Champions Juvenile S. into focus having been four-lengths fourth behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Mister Sketch In Mill Reef Test…

Newbury's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. is the other juvenile feature on Saturday, with speed as the contrast for the six-furlong feature of the card. Wathnan Racing's acquisition Mister Sketch (GB) (Territories {Ire}) won by 9 1/2 lengths over this trip at Salisbury last month and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is hoping he can cope with this easy ground. “It's not ideal ground for him, but it's the same for everyone and I think he'll run a big race,” she said. “He's a lovely, strong horse, so I hope he'll be able to handle the ground.”

This renewal is dominated by those who have danced a few dances already and with conditions demanding toughness, that could play into the hands of the G3 Sirenia S. second and third Seven Questions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Array (Ire) (No Nay Never). The latter is a relative of Frankel (GB), so this is a big opportunity for the Juddmonte homebred. “I think the ground won't be an issue for him, Andrew [Balding] always felt he'd go with a bit of ease in the ground and obviously he ran well at Goodwood on desperate ground,” Barry Mahon said. “He's a nice horse who probably hasn't been the luckiest, but he looked good winning his maiden and he's shown a good level of form to partake in such a race.”

Sense Of Duty Returns…

In the five-furlong G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy at Newbury, St Albans Bloodstock's exciting filly Sense Of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is back in action having been absent since her impressive 4 1/2-length success in Newcastle's G3 Chipchase S. last June. This looks an ideal starting point for the William Haggas-trained 4-year-old, who has a class edge over her four rivals if retaining her ability.

“She's never run over five furlongs, but she has to run somewhere with as big a gap as possible between Champions Day,” Haggas said. “She will need the run, but she's pretty useful. She was very good the day she won the Chipchase at Newcastle. I think she'll enjoy the ground.”

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Dettori And Mullins Square off In Barney Curley Charity Cup

The Barney Curley Charity Cup, featuring teams led by Frankie Dettori and Willie Mullins, will be held at Bellewstown on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

The racecourse has already raised over €200,000 for Curley's charity Direct Aid for Africa (DAFA), and the second edition of the contest will raise money for the charity. Each team consists of seven jockeys, who will go head-to-head over two races, sponsored by Gannon City Recovery & Recycling Services Limited and The Gallagher Group. Points will be awarded to the first six placed horses on a scale of 20, 10, 5, 3, 2, 1 and the team that accumulates the highest number of points across the two races in the challenge will win the Barney Curley Charity Cup. Dettori's team was victorious in 2022.

Alan Delany, Vice Chair of Bellewstown, said, “Frankie and Willie have assembled two amazing teams of riders which should make for a brilliant race day on Wednesday, Sept. 27. This is the second year of this very special event on our fixture list, all in honour of our great friend Barney Curley and to support his wonderful charity, Direct Aid for Africa (DAFA). With free entry for all, thanks to the National Bookmakers Association, we are expecting a big crowd through the gates which will make for fantastic atmosphere.”

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