I pinch myself when I’m with Enable... lucky my wife is not jealous of her!
FRANKIE DETTORI
Prix de l’arc de Triomphe Today, Longchamp, 3.05pm
@thebedfordfox FRANKIE DETTORI’S wife Catherine knows of his infatuation with another female — and she’s fine with it.
“Don’t worry – it won’t go to court,” laughs the Italian. “You can’t get a horse in the witness box!”
No one could blame Dettori for being in love – or in high spirits.
Ten weeks before his 48th birthday, Dettori takes the mount on Enable – the reigning champion and Ladbrokes’ 10-11 favourite – for the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe, the race that grants the status of Europe’s best horse.
Victory for the John Gosden-trained filly at Longchamp today, and the world’s most famous jockey will add to his Arc record of five.
“I’m in a privileged position and I have to pinch myself every day,” says Dettori, aboard Enable 12 months ago when she left 17 rivals toiling at Chantilly, the temporary home of the race while Longchamp was being rebuilt.
“She took my breath away in last year’s race.
“She seemed to be doing it so easily, and [owner] Prince Khalid [Abdullah, of Saudi Arabia] decided to keep her in training so that she could come to Longchamp this year.”
At the time, it all seemed so simple. Win the summer’s top prizes before a return to France for a coronation in Paris. But in May, Gosden reported Enable to be nursing a knee injury. She missed two-thirds of the campaign before reappearing in Kempton’s September Stakes 29 days ago. The daughter of Nathaniel faced solid opposition in the form of Crystal Ocean, but made all the running for a a three-and-a-half-length victory. “I felt quite tense beforehand,” said Dettori. “But I needn’t have worried. She lengthened away from Crystal Ocean and she showed all her old enthusiasm. “She’s still got to go and do it on Sunday, but I was
impressed and I couldn’t be happier with her.”
This is not so much an autumn of a career as an Indian summer, confounding the rumours that swirled round Epsom on Derby day that a shock retirement was imminent.
“Where that came from, I still have no idea,” insists Dettori. “I still feel mentally and physically fresh. John helps me manage my workload, and [ fellow jockey] Rab Havlin fills in the gaps when I’m not riding.
“It’s an arrangement that suits all parties and works well.”
There is still no sign of the nights drawing in.
Dettori originally spoke of stopping at 50, but explains: “I can’t see why I can’t go on riding for another five years.
“When you’ve got horses like Enable around, packing in is the last thing on your mind.
“As long as I’ve got mounts like her in the best races, you’ll have to put up with me for a while yet.” DAVID YATES LONGCHAMP SELECTIONS 1.20 ROCQUES; 1.55 ANODOR; 3.05 SEA OF CLASS; 3.50 MAGIC WAND; 4.25 ALPHA DELPHINI; 5.00 POLYDREAM; 5.30 RAYON VERT.