'I don't want to be someone who gets to 56 and is always sitting on the bench'

Frankie Dettori answers the phone, says "yo, yo, yo", and then responds to an inquiry regarding his wellbeing by blowing his nose with such gusto that the ground almost certainly shakes on Warren Hill.

"I have felt better," admits the most famous jockey in the world, delivering news that comes as no surprise.

"You are going to find a man whose head is in a spin," was the warning passed on by Dettori's manager of 35 years, Peter Burrell, who had at one point postponed the call by 24 hours due to his client's indisposition. It turns out that age is partly the reason behind a serious bout of man flu. It is also one of the factors influencing Dettori's decision to announce plans for his retirement.