Great year gets better for Frankie Dettori as he scoops Best Jockey award

Frankie Dettori, who has enjoyed such a magnificent 2019, picked up another honour in Hong Kong on Friday when he was named Longines World's Best Jockey at a swanky gala dinner.

Dettori, who also scooped the award 12 months ago, becomes the first rider to earn back-to-back titles and it crowns a stellar year for the evergreen 48-year-old, who has recorded an annual personal-best 19 Group 1 winners.

He was also top jockey at Royal Ascot, captured Classics on Anapurna (Oaks), Star Catcher (Irish Oaks) and Logician (St Leger), while he teamed up with Enable - the apple of his eye - for Eclipse and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumphs.

Watch Dettori win the King George on Enable

"It has been an amazing few years," he said, days after being recognised as Flat Jockey of the Year at the Horserace Writers' & Photographers' Association Derby Awards.

"There is pressure, but I love what I do, and I get to ride some remarkable horses. Enable especially has meant so much to me. Thank you to Longines and the IFHA [International Federation of Horseracing Authorities] for honouring such a memorable season for me."

Dettori was also the 2015 winner of Friday's award, which is based on performances in the 100 best Group 1 and Grade 1 races, a list determined by the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee.

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