On The Road: Frankie Dettori
Top jockey Frankie Dettori never puts his feet up. He is happiest on the move, with three saddles in his bag, he tells Louise Flind
Do you travel with your saddle? I have two sets of tack in the UK. A set in the North – small, medium and large saddles, helmets, boots, waterproofs, gloves and whip, which my Northern valet looks after – and one in the South. Also one in France and Dubai, and then I’ve got a set to travel with, ie if I go to America.
Once I flew to Chicago in the morning, I rode there in the afternoon and then I had a flight straight back the same day. Like an idiot, right, because I thought, I’ve got plenty of time, my race isn’t till 5pm – I checked my bag in and I’d already checked myself in for the return so my bag never left the plane. They put it on the plane for the way back. Stupid me. So, I had to borrow everything – lucky we’re all the same size…
Describe your travelling year? I use the kids going back to school in January for getting fit. I start getting rid of the excess weight I put on over the winter, going to the gym, riding horses in the morning, getting my legs going again – it takes me a week to ten days. This winter I didn’t let myself go – because I knew I’d got a big race coming up, the Pegasus in Florida – it’s the richest race in the world, at $16 million (I’m not getting that much; don’t worry). I walked a lot, so I think I put on seven pounds over the winter.
Most of February, I base myself in Dubai, but then I’ll ride in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. John Gosden, my trainer, wants me back early March because traditionally the grass gallops open in Newmarket on 1st March. Then back to Dubai for the Dubai World Cup at the end of March, but I’m only there for the weekend.
My season really starts the second week of April and then it goes mad. Travelling all round the UK – the Guineas in early March, then the Derby and Royal Ascot in June, the July meeting in Newmarket, the King George, Goodwood, York. It’s nonstop: the Arc in Paris in October; it’s just bam bam. I get to the end of October and our season stops and the jump season starts, and that’s when I go on my travels, to the Breeders’ Cup in America, the Melbourne Cup, the Japan Cup and Hong Kong.
How do you get to the races in the UK? Mainly with a driver so I can sleep en route. Very occasionally via helicopter for the Derby or Royal Ascot. But it’s so expensive; if I don’t have a winner, it costs me to get to work. Sometimes, I go on a small plane, but I’m not so keen on them after my plane crash in June 2000.
Do you have a daily routine even when you’re away? On our recent holiday in Brazil, I walked about one-and-a-half hours every morning on the beach. Because I’ve been doing this job for thirty years, you train yourself not to eat crap. I might have the odd ice cream or bite of chocolate but I don’t eat burgers or chips. I love my seafood; I love my sushi. Do you like being/working away from home? Yes, I like to travel. I get bored very quickly. After being at home for three or four days, I go insane. And after the family have seen me for two or three days, they want to get rid of me. Of course, I like to be home. Newmarket is the headquarters of horse racing but it’s not that exciting. It’s not exactly London – there’s only limited things to do apart from riding. You can walk down the High Street in two minutes.
Favourite destination? Dubai because I’ve been going there for over twenty years and have a lot of friends there. In my own country, it would be Sardinia because that’s where my dad is from and we have a big family house there.
Earliest childhood holiday memories? I spent every summer holidays with my paternal grandparents in Porto Pino, south Sardinia, exploring beautiful beaches.
Where did you go on your honeymoon? Catherine wanted to get married in the summer because of the weather. I rode on the Saturday, got married on the Sunday and we went to Cap d’antibes for three days. When the season finished, we bought a round-the-world ticket. Catherine’s parents are Australian/ New Zealanders, so we did Australia to see the relatives, New Zealand, Bora Bora, LA, Vegas, home – that was our real honeymoon.
Strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? Because I come from Italy we shoot and eat everything. I spent some time in Hong Kong – we had snake, fox, cockerel and ostriches. In Thailand, they have dry bugs which they sell on the street, like crickets which are crunchy, salty and horrible – mad.