FRANKIE 50 NOT OUT

Dettori to carry on riding after landmark birthday

FRANKIE DETTORI – who turns 50 today – has revealed he has no intention of retiring anytime soon.

The Italian genius has always played down talk of hanging up his saddle but as he reached the half century he said he wanted to carry on riding for as long as possible.

He said: “I really don’t know when I will retire, as I feel good and I’m still competitive and I ride for a great stable. I want to go on for as long as I can, that is my dream.

“I’d love to win a Melbourne Cup and being a Newmarket boy the only Group One in England I’ve not won is the July Cup, so I would love to tick that off the list before I retire.”

Lavish celebrations might normally be the order of the day to commemorate such an occasion but with the current restrictions Dettori will mark his birthday spending time with those closest to him.

“I’m going to have a nice family dinner, cut the cake and celebrate it that way instead.”

Since arriving in Newmarket in 1985 as a 14- year- old, the Italian has carved out a career few in the sport can come close to matching.

But he said he owes much of his success to his first gaffer, Luca Cumani.

He said: “The first three months in Newmarket I hated it. The weather was rubbish and the food was disgusting. My father persuaded me to stay and Luca saw something in me and the rest is history really. It’s unreal what I’ve achieved since.”

Momentous success followed all around the world – but for the past four years it has been his association with the John Gosdentrained 11- time Group One winner Enable that people will associate him with most.

Dettori, right, said: “I will certainly be more remembered for her and what she did in winning the amount of Group Ones she did more than anything I’ve done on any other horse.”