Frankie Dettori turned 50 at the end of 2020 and it was yet another memorable year for the jockey on the racecourse, during which he earned his third consecutive Longines World's Best Jockey Award. He first won the award in 2015.
“Whoever thought at my age I could still do it,” said Dettori from his home in Newmarket as he joined the Longines Racing Awards via a video link.
The most successful horses with which the Italian-born jockey was associated in 2020 were the European champion 3-year-old colt, Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), champion stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the recently retired Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who recorded an historic hat-trick in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot. All three were trained in Newmarket by John Gosden.
“It goes without saying that she is the horse I've loved most in my life,” said Dettori of Enable, who was the joint-best horse in the world in 2019 along with Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).
“We tried to win three Arcs and we couldn't make it but she won three King Georges, which was a record. I do miss her a lot. She gave racing and the public so much joy and she has really helped me to win this Longines World's Best Jockey.”
While Enable is now at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud awaiting her first cover by Kingman, both Palace Pier and Stradivarius have remained in training at Gosden's Clarehaven Stables. Now seven and still an entire, Stradivarius is being primed for a fourth Gold Cup at Ascot, the racecourse at which Dettori completed his infamous 'Magnificent Seven' in September 1996.
He added, “I think this has been a great initiative by Longines to start this World's Best Jockey championship from the results of the 100 best races around the world. It's great for us to be recognised around the world and for me to win it four times now is a great honour.”
Only three jockeys have won the award since it was founded in 2014. Ryan Moore was the inaugural winner and took the title again in 2016. Australia's Hugh Bowman, best known for his association with Winx (Aus), was the Longines World's Best Jockey in 2017.
The award is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races throughout the year, with jockeys given 12 points for a winning ride, six points for finishing second, and four points for third.
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