Horse Talk with Simon Jackson:
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FRANKIE Dettori said farewell to British racing in fairytale fashion when riding two winners on British Champions Day at Ascot that included the Qipco Champion Stakes.
Dettori made a perfect start to the day when winning the opening race, the Group 2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, on the John and Thady Gosden-trained Trawlerman.
The 52-year-old – who revealed last week he will be continuing his career in America – followed up with a tenacious victory on the Roger Varian-trained Epsom Derby runner-up King Of Steel in the day’s feature race, the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes.
Sent off the 3-1 favourite, King Of Steel had work to do turning for home but Dettori galvanised his mount, finishing powerfully to score by three-quarters of a length.
“My emotions are all over the place, I can’t believe it, Dettori said. “The crowd got this horse over the line. I was doing my best on top but the feeling that I got was incredible; thanks to all of you, you made me win this race and it’s fantastic. I love you, a Hollywood script, I love you. I don’t know how to feel at the moment, I don’t know if it’s real or……it was incredible.
“I struggled from the beginning of the race. I couldn’t really get King Of Steel to travel, he was stumbling – and then he started to come good. When they kicked, they left me a little bit, but King Of Steel just found a second wind, dug deep, the crowd got behind me and we got him over the line. What a feeling, I thought the first race the crowd was good but this was another level honestly, it was incredible. A fairytale ending for me, Ascot is my home.
“The first race was mad; this was another level, to be honest with you. It was incredible – everyone was cheering for me. This was my last race, so they were all up for it. Amazing. After the race, people were singing, ‘Oh, Frankie Dettori!’. That’s one thing I’ll miss and I can’t take to America with me – I’m fairly new over there. But it’s been memorable; from the beginning of the season, it’s been tremendous. I wanted to finish at the top and I can’t be more at the top than that. I’m very proud of my career and this year, it’s been phenomenal.
Dettori added: “I go to Santa Anita on Wednesday. I’ll regroup, go to the States, and like I said, I’m moving there for good.”
Earlier, a specially commissioned statue of Frankie Dettori was unveiled at Ascot Racecourse by Her Majesty The Queen.
The bronze depicts the world-famous Italian jockey mounted on a horse and is located by the grandstand lawn. It was designed by artist and sculptor Tristramas Lewis and will act as a permanent reminder of Frankie’s unparalleled contribution to racing at Ascot.
Dettori’s career has been synonymous with the racecourse, having his first ride at Royal Ascot in 1987. Since then his career has included 81 victories at the Royal Meeting and 229 winners at Ascot overall, including the ‘Magnificent Seven’ in 1996 when he rode all seven winners on the Saturday of the Festival Of British Racing, a precursor to Qipco British Champions Day.
Dettori said, “Ascot has been everything to me – my first Group 1 winner when I was 19 – it is where it all started and concludes with nine Gold Cups, seven King Georges, 81 winners at Royal Ascot and hopefully some victories today [Qipco British Champions Day].
“It’s wonderful to be immortalised at such a great track, and to have your own statue while you are still alive, wow!
“Tristram Lewis has created a humbling tribute, and I would like to thank him, Ascot Racecourse and all those that have supported this impactful artwork.”
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