WHIP HOORAY Dettori will make big day rides
FRANKIE DETTORI says he will “play my joker” to ride on Ascot’s QIPCO British Champions Day card after picking up two whip bans at Longchamp last weekend.
Dettori is assured a stellar book of mounts on Britain’s richest raceday, including Palace Pier for boss John Gosden (inset) in the £1.1m Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
The Italian received a two-day suspension for his winning effort aboard Loving Dream in Saturday’s Prix Royallieu, and a four-day ban after partnering Grand Glory to a nose defeat by Rougir in the
Prix de l’opera.
The punishments cover the Champions Day fixture on Saturday week but Dettori said yesterday: “I’m going to play my joker.
“As one of the bans was for two days, my manager will email France Galop to move the days, and then France Galop will contact the British Horseracing
Authority. Once they have told them that I want to move the days, I will be okay to ride at Ascot.”
Dettori is confident next year’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas favourite Inspiral can take the step up to the top-level when she crosses swords with eight rivals in tomorrow’s Group One bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.
The daughter of Frankel is as short as 5-1 market leader for the Rowley Mile Classic next May after adding Doncaster’s Group Two May Hill Stakes to wins at Sandown Park and Newmarket.
“She is not the finished article by any means,” said Dettori. “She has done nothing wrong so far, she has got a great physique and lots of scope, and she is taking the usual progression after winning a Group Two to have a go at a Group One.”
Inspiral is a best-priced 10-11 for tomorrow’s test.