'My chance was done a long way out' - no fairytale Derby triumph for Dettori as favourite Arrest fails to fire
There was no glorious last hurrah for Frankie Dettori on his final Derby ride as favourite Arrest faded from a prominent position to finish down the field.
Following a fantastic Friday at Epsom where he revelled in a Group 1 double with Soul Sister in the Oaks and Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup, punters put their faith in the red-hot jockey with Arrest sent off 4-1 favourite from 9-2 shots Auguste Rodin and Military Order.
There were worrying signs before the start when the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Frankel sweated up badly and although Dettori had his mount up with pace, he started to back-pedal from two furlongs out and came home in tenth.
"The track was too much for him, he just couldn't run down the hill and had legs everywhere," said Dettori. "My chance was done a long way out."
Arrest booked his place at Epsom with an impressive success on soft ground in last month's Chester Vase and John Gosden said: "Not this track on that ground. The ground was too quick and he had a leg in every county and Frankie knew he was in trouble halfway down the hill. We'll freshen him up and see where we want to go, but I knew having good to firm in the ground meant we were in trouble. It's not his ground."
After the race, Arrest was reported to have lost his right hind shoe by the veterinary officer.
Dettori, who started what he announced would be his final season with victory in the 2,000 Guineas on Chaldean, had been aiming to become the first rider since Geoff Lewis to win the Derby, Oaks and Coronation Cup in the same year.
It did not take long for the charismatic rider to bounce back as he won the next race, the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, on Prosperous Voyage, which he said would be his final ride at Epsom.
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Published on 3 June 2023inDerby festival
Last updated 19:31, 3 June 2023
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