IT’S DEPUTY DETTORI
FRANKIE’S SANTIAGO LEGER BOOKING MAY STOP CHILLY MARKET MOVE
The prized mount aboard the Royal Ascot and Irish Derby hero is up for grabs after Ryan Moore went into quarantine in order to ride at Irish Champions Weekend on September 12 and 13.
And O’brien has already been in contact with six- time St Leger hero Dettori, who landed the final Classic with Ballydoyle’s Scorpion in 2005.
“We have spoken to Frankie and he’s going to be there for the Leger, which is great for us,” revealed O’brien, whose Irish- based stable jockeys would be forced by coronavirus regulations to self- isolate if they rode at Doncaster.
“If the lads go there, they can’t do anything for the next two weeks afterwards. We will have a lot of runners here, and we will need them all at home.”
Santiago yesterday lost his place at the head of the market as punters put their faith in Pyledriver to give William Muir a first Classic triumph.
Pyledriver, winner of the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and Great Voltigeur Stakes at York this summer, was cut from 3- 1 to 5- 2 market leader with Ladbrokes, who pushed Santiago out to 11- 4.
“The support for Pyledriver keeps coming and he now heads the market but, with the likely booking of Frankie Dettori for Santiago, there is still time for that to change,” said Ladbrokes spokesman Jon Lees.
O’brien warned backers not to underestimate Derby victor Serpentine in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Parislongchamp a week on Sunday – despite his outsider status at Epsom.
The son of Galileo made all the running for a 25- 1 upset, but O’brien added: “Whatever race he runs in, he doesn’t come back.
“He’s relentless.”