'It's strange being back' - super-relaxed Frankie Dettori takes 'a million selfies' as a Royal Ascot spectator

Frankie Dettori described the feeling of returning to Royal Ascot as a spectator as "strange" but said the experience of riding in the US was "keeping him young". 

The jockey, who relocated to the US after shelving his retirement plans at the end of last season, has not taken rides this week and will not appear as a pundit.

"It's strange being back," said Dettori. "I used to come here with five or six races in my head, stressed out because the first day is big with three Group 1s. Now I've come here super relaxed and have had a great welcome from everyone. Of course, at the bottom of my heart I wish I was riding but I promised I wouldn't do it.

"When I used to get out the car on the opening day I'd be stressed as hell, but this year I went to the flower stall and then thought, 'what do I do now'? I've taken a million selfies, everyone has been so kind and it's nice to be back. When the horses and jockeys come out, it will hit me a bit and I might get the itch to ride."

Dettori said he had been offered rides by Wesley Ward this week but declined, and said: "I had an amazing farewell and it's unfair to everyone who said goodbye to me. It was like a Hollywood ending winning the Champion Stakes and I left at the right time. I ended up in the US as I wasn't ready to stop and I'm enjoying it."

Dettori has had a productive start to life in the US. He rode six winners in a row at Santa Anita in April and recently finished second in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes at Saratoga on Godolphin's Nations Pride.

"Going to the US and taking them on in their backyard, I didn't think they'd roll out the red carpet," added the jockey. "I knew it was going to be difficult but it's going well. For me, it's all new – new states and racecourses – so it's keeping me young. I've got so much to look forward to and over there age is less of a factor.

"In Europe, they think at 50 you should smoke a pipe in your slippers, but I don't get judged for how old I am in America and at the moment it's going well. It's all a bit different and a big challenge, but it's been fun and it's given me an extra chapter in my career. I was silly to say I was going to retire as I still love it so much."

Read these next:

‘He didn’t think it was the right thing to do’ - Oisin Murphy reveals relief that Frankie Dettori stuck to his word 

No riding, no punditry - it's top hat and tails for Royal Ascot legend Frankie Dettori 

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