'It's great he can go out carrying the belts, not on the canvas' - Gosden heaps praise on Dettori

Rewind the clock 12 months and Frankie Dettori and John Gosden were not having the best of times. With the trainer critical of some of his long-time ally's rides at Royal Ascot 2022, the pair took a short-lived sabbatical.

This year's royal meeting has been a much happier occasion and Gosden, who trains in partnership with son Thady, has provided Dettori with three winners this week.

Gregory got the ball rolling in the Queen's Vase on Wednesday, Courage Mon Ami followed up 24 hours later in the Gold Cup and Friday brought another success for the team with Coppice in the Sandringham Handicap, while Dettori also struck in the Albany Stakes on the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Porta Fortuna. 

With those winners on the board, Gosden said: "It's a huge week for him and he's having success. He's had a double today and he was very keen to go out at the top and not become this sad, unwanted man.

"If you check the stats, he had a terrible year in 2013 with 16 winners; he knows what it's like to be shoved in the twilight zone. Then he came to me and had nice horses to ride and we worked together as a team. We've had a ball since he came back to me through Golden Horn and Enable and other fabulous horses."

Courage Mon Ami wins the Gold Cup for Dettori and the GosdensCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Doing a fine audition for president of the Dettori fan club, Gosden added: "He's a fabulous judge as a work-rider, and not all jockeys are. He's got a very good idea of where you're going or where you're not going and he's quick to feel that, which is one of his great assets – as a jockey in the morning.

"It's intuition, experience and instinctive feel. His father was a champion jockey and his mother came from an amazing circus family, so he was bred to be a phenomenal athlete, which he is.

"That time before he rejoined me in 2015 wasn't pleasant to witness, but it's great he can go out carrying all the belts, not on the canvas."

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