Dettori back riding out and sets July festival as comeback target

Frankie Dettori was back in the saddle for the first time since before Royal Ascot when riding out at first lot for John Gosden on Wednesday morning.

Dettori partnered the unraced Frankel three-year-old colt Erdogan, a half-brother to stablemate So Mi Dar, in a canter on the Warren Hill Polytrack and is hoping to return from a shoulder injury on the opening day of the July meeting at Newmarket a week on Thursday.

The former champion jockey was injured in a paddock fall at Yarmouth on June 13 and came back to ride Shutter Speed in the Prix de Diane five days later but was forced to miss Royal Ascot after a pair of small fractures in his shoulder were discovered.

He said: "I've had a nice family break in Sardinia, where the weather was how I like it, in the 40s! The shoulder seems fine and I've done lots of swimming and physio, and hopefully can come back at Newmarket."

Dettori described being forced to miss Royal Ascot as "soul destroying as it's the most important week of the year".