FRANKIE’S IN A BUBBLE
It was soul destroying to miss Royal Ascot last year. I’ve wrapped myself up as it means everything to me...
IT’S an unusual jockey’s preparation for Royal Ascot. “I’m wrapping myself in bubble wrap.”
But Frankie Dettori is an unusual jockey.
You can hardly blame him.
Last year, horseracing’s biggest draw was forced to sit out the meeting’s five days after suffering a broken shoulder in a paddock fall at Yarmouth seven days before the fixture was due to start. “It was awful – soul destroying,” recalls the Italian, who has a symbiosis with Ascot like no other rider in the royal racecourse’s 307-year history. “To be at Ascot means everything – I still get excited every year and my hair stands up like Don King – so to injure myself days before it was very hard to take. At the moment I’m wrapping myself in bubble wrap!”
Ascot is Dettori’s darling.
Aside from 56 Royal Ascot victories, there’s the small matter of the 25,095-1 ‘Magnificent Seven’ in September 1996, and five triumphs – most recently aboard brilliant filly Enable – in July’s cherished clash of the ages, the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
And the feeling is mutual. For the near 300,000-strong attendance in 2017, something – or someone – was missing.
But this week Dettori makes his return with a healthy book of rides.
Because of the backing of mentor John Gosden, and international raiders Chelsea Cloisters (Queen Mary Stakes) and Redkirk Warrior (Diamond Jubilee Stakes), bookies make him the 9-4 second favourite to top the jockeys’ standings. The jewel in his crown is Cracksman, the 4-6 hotpot for Wednesday’s featured Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Expertly tutored in Newmarket by Gosden, the son of the great Frankel has matured into a champion.
Cracksman has won his last five races, including a sevenlength humbling of his opponents in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last October.
The result was much closer when the fouryear-old scrambled home by a head at 2-7 in Epsom’s Coronation Cup 16 days ago. But Dettori explains: “It’s obvious to everyone he doesn’t like Epsom. “Basically he doesn’t like to run downhill. He struggled [when third] in the [2017] Derby and he struggled the other day. “I had my heart in my mouth, but his courage and class pulled him through, as any other horse would have downed tools and given up. “But he likes Ascot and I hope that beast turns up. I’m as excited as everyone to see him on Wednesday.” Dettori’s absence 12 months ago cost him a sixth winning Gold Cup mount on Big Orange.
On Ladies’ Day next Thursday, Gosden’s goingplaces stayer Stradivarius will bid to make amends by upsetting the favourite, 2016 winner Order Of St George, ridden by Ryan Moore.
Order Of St George is a great champion,” admits Dettori. “He’ll be a very hard nut to crack, but I’m taking a horse with fresh legs, and I just hope that he can last the extra four furlongs.”
Gosden’s unbeaten Without Parole leads the betting for the St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday, despite taking a leap up in class after a Listed score at Sandown last month.
“He’s got to step up, but he’s a [son of ] Frankel, he’s very exciting and we’ve got to take the challenge on,” adds Ascot’s favourite son, now 47 and asked to scotch rumours of an imminent and sudden retirement at Epsom on Derby day.
“Why retire when I have Cracksman and Enable to ride?” he laughs. “You definitely have another five years of putting up with me!”
I’m still so excited by Royal Ascot, my hair stands up like Don King (above)