While it has been confirmed that Frankie Dettori won’t be signing off with a third career win in the Derby — the race he ranks higher than any other in the world — as hot favourite Arrest could fare no better than 10th at Epsom, the Italian still couldn’t have asked for a better start to his farewell tour.
Now at 52 years of age, the legendary jockey confirmed late last year that this would be his final season in the saddle and he’s certainly looked like a man on a mission in the first couple of months of the British flat racing campaign — winning two of the four British Classics thus far and a further six Group contests as he operates off at strike rate of 43% at the time of writing.
There are plenty more huge moments still to come from Dettori this season, including his final Royal Ascot appearance later this month, but with some monumental successes already this season now is a good time to take a look back at some of those big wins.
Chaldean – 2,000 Guineas
Dettori got the season off to a flying start when winning the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket with Chaldean. Given that he has enjoyed some of the biggest wins of his career in the Juddmonte colours, winning several top-class races with the great Enable — including the Oaks and two Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes — it was rather fitting that he was in the green and pink silks for the first Classic of the year.
After being unseated by the three-year-old when breaking from the stalls at Newbury in preparation for the Guineas, Chaldean drifted to 7/2 in the race odds for the Rowley Mile affair. But he was prominent throughout and took the lead from Hi Royal and Oisin Murphy in the final furlong to win by just short of two lengths from the 125/1 outsider.
Emily Upjohn – Coronation Cup
A horse Dettori has a fantastic relationship with, the Italian won the Musidora Stakes and the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes with Emily Upjohn last season — but also suffered disappointments in the Oaks when finishing second to Tuesday by a shorthead and coming last in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot.
There would be no similar upset at Epsom though, as the four-year-old returned from a 230-day break following her Group 1 success on Champions Day to win the top-level Coronation Cup from 11/4. Emily Upjohn was clear from the rest of the pack a furlong out and held on to win by a length and three-quarters from Juddmonte’s Westover.
Soul Sister – Oaks
It was a Group 1 double for Dettori and father-son trainer duo John and Thady Gosden on Ladies’ Day of the Derby Festival at Epsom, as Soul Sister followed up Emily Upjohn’s success with a win in the Oaks — delivering the 52-year-old his seventh victory in the prestigious third Classic of the season.
Soul Sister set off as the 11/4 second favourite behind odds-on chance Savethelastdance (5/6) but was ridden into the lead over one furlong out and kept on well in the closing stages despite drifting left to beat Aidan O’Brien’s runner by a length and three-quarters as the heavy market leader was no match for the winner.
