Dettori banned after being pipped in Melbourne thriller
Jockey is demoted two places for careless riding Vow and Declare wins dramatic race by a head
Vow And Declare gave jockey Craig Williams a belated first Lexus Melbourne Cup success at Flemington yesterday, but the big handicap once again proved frustrating for Frankie Dettori as he was runnerup for the third time – before the stewards added insult to injury and demoted him to fourth.
Dettori, searching for his 20th Group One victory of the season, went to the front on Joseph O’brien’s 25-1 shot Master of Reality two furlongs out but in a driving finish, in which the first eight were separated by just 1½ lengths, they were beaten by a head.
However, Dettori’s mount drifted left under strong pressure and, in the last few strides, hampered Aidan O’brien’s fast-finishing fourth Il Paradiso.
At the stewards’ inquiry Dettori, who was given a one month suspension and £11,000 fine when second on Max Dynamite in 2015, was found guilty of careless riding and Master of Reality was demoted to fourth. This time he picked up a seven-day ban, which he will have to serve in Japan where he is due to spend the next month.
After Prince of Arran had been promoted to second, doubling his share of prize money to £600,000, Newmarket trainer Charlie Fellowes said: “What a horse. To finish second two years in a row is remarkable. But this time I never felt we were going to win it. I always felt the winner had us. I am not disappointed, I am incredibly happy.”
The winner, trained by Danny O’brien [no relation], was given a superb ride by Williams to get across from stall 21 quickly and spend most of the race glued to the inside rail. Several times the chestnut looked beaten, but kept pulling out more. It was a 16th ride in the race for Williams, who missed the ride on 2011 winner Dunaden through suspension.