Lanfranco: the juvenile named by Frankie Dettori who will join the Gosdens

Frankie Dettori may have announced his retirement from the saddle later this year but the legendary jockey could have one last hurrah on a horse he was asked to name after himself – Lanfranco.

Like Dettori, himself the son of a champion jockey, the two-year-old colt could not be better bred as he is by Frankel out of the former Dettori-ridden mare Coronet and is owned by Prince Faisal Salman, a great friend of the three-time champion rider.

Coronet was partnered by Dettori to five of her six career wins, most notably when landing back-to-back victories at Group 1 level in France in 2019, and has since foaled the colt which the jockey picked out to carry his first name on a visit to the owner's Denford Stud in Berkshire last year.

Richard Evans, farm manager at Denford Stud, said: "Prince Faisal is good friends with Frankie and it was a name that we applied for a while ago. We thought we were lucky to get it and we had it on hold until one of Frankie's visits to the stud here last year when the Prince gave him the opportunity to name a horse of his choice.

Coronet: was a star performer on the trackCredit: Mark Cranham

"We didn't specifically say he had to choose the Frankel – Coronet colt but we gave him the choice and he went into the paddock and chose him anyway. It would be great if Lanfranco could run and Frankie ride him before he retires and fingers crossed it comes off."

Dettori rode Coronet on 11 of her 18 career starts which yielded four Group wins, but it could have been more according to Evans.

He added: "Frankie rode her to win both her Group 1s in France which was great. She was very consistent and she would have won more here had she not kept bumping into the likes of Enable and Sea Of Class."

Evans thinks Lanfranco could be seen in the second half of the Flat season, just as his dam did when making a winning debut as a juvenile at Leicester in September 2016.

He said: "He's not going to be a precocious early two-year-old. He was a typical first foal and could hopefully have a run or two towards the backend.

"He's not the biggest but he was always a very correct horse with a nice attitude. When you think of both the sire and the dam, I wouldn't expect him to be an early type."

Frankel: sire of LanfrancoCredit: Edward Whitaker

Just like Coronet, Lanfranco will be heading to Clarehaven Stables to join John and Thady Gosden in Newmarket when he has completed his pre-training.

Evans added: "He'll be going to John and Thady Gosden at some stage but is in pre-training at the moment and will probably move on in the summer. Coronet had her first run at the backend as a two-year-old and I wouldn't expect him to do too much until then."

Read more on Frankie Dettori's decision to retire in 2023:

'I have to give up' - Frankie Dettori reveals bombshell retirement next year

John Gosden: 'Keeping such a huge talent mentally in the zone is the challenge' (£)

'I've never seen anyone better' - Stoute leads tributes to daring Dettori

Key dates and races for Frankie Dettori's final year in the saddle - and beyond

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