HAPPY FRANKIE ENJOYS THE FULL ENGLISH

FRANKIE DETTORI took the reins on Investec Derby favourite English King for the first time yesterday — and the pair clicked straight away.

The Italian rider, who was called up for the 11-4 shot earlier this week, visited trainer Ed Walker’s Lambourn base with just 10 days to go before the race on July 4.

Braced for his first Derby runner, English King’s trained Ed Walker said: “He really wanted to get inside the horse’s head and understand him, which is a mark of Frankie’s professionalism.

“He rode him for well over an hour and they got on great. Frankie was very happy”

Dettori (above) belatedly won his first Derby at the 15th attempt, on Authorized in 2007, before making it two on Golden Horn (2015). Tom

Marquand was aboard when English King shot into the Epsom reckoning at Lingfield on June 5, but the Derby ride was offered to Dettori.

Walker hopes it will be a lucky move for him and owner Bjorn Nielsen, fulfilling their lifetime dreams of winning the premier Classic.

“I’ve been thinking about it (winning the Derby) since I was 12 years old,” he said. “It would be a great day if it happened.”

Dettori could also land the Oaks on Frankly Darling. The fillies’ Classic is being run on the same day, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic delaying the sport.

ROYAL ASCOT heroine Hayley Turner has broken her collarbone and faces a spell on the sidelines.

She was injured in a fall two days after winning the Sandringham Stakes.

RACING continued in mourning yesterday following the death of Aintree chairwoman Rose Paterson. The mother-of-three and wife of MP Owen Paterson was found dead at the family home in Shropshire. The news came just a day after the sport was left devastated by the loss of Grand Nationalwinning jockey Liam Treadwell. Mrs Paterson, 63, became chairwoman of Aintree in 2014 and was a steward of The Jockey Club. Spokesperson for the board, Sandy Dudgeon, said: “This is tragic news and our thoughts go out to Rose family. “Rose was a wonderful person and involved in so many aspects of our sport.”

KING FOR A DAY Tom Marquand winning on English King