'It was on another level' - Roger Varian amazed by Frankie Dettori reception and performance on Champions Day

Trainer Roger Varian said he never doubted Frankie Dettori’s ability to produce his best on King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes despite being “blown away” by the anticipation and expectation that surrounded the jockey’s final ride in Britain on Saturday.

Varian was delighted to have secured Dettori to ride but had not prepared himself for the intense level of engagement that came with supplying the rider with his last mount before his planned relocation to the US.

"I thought Frankie was a great booking for the horse and I was delighted when I knew he would be able to ride him a few weeks ago," Varian said. "We knew it would possibly be his last ride in Britain, but I was totally ignorant to what it would mean in terms of how much extra it would bring on the day. I was blown away by it all and was a bit more nervous than I thought I would be by the time of our race as things had really built up through the day.