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Dettori at his best: five of the greatest rides from the red-hot jockey

Frankie Dettori: Arc win number four came on Golden Horn in 2015
Frankie Dettori: produced a brilliant ride on Golden Horn in the 2015 ArcCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Racing's greatest showman made it an extraordinary eighth Group 1 victory in 51 days following a brilliant front-running ride on Star Catcher in the Irish Oaks. We pick out five of Frankie Dettori's greatest rides over the years.

Fantastic Light
2001 Irish Champion Stakes

The hugely popular globetrotting star had gone down by two lengths to Derby winner Galileo in the King George that summer but a tactically superb ride from Dettori evened out the score at Leopardstown.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained colt settled in third behind the Ballydoyle and Godolphin's pacemakers, with Galileo in fourth. When push came to shove Dettori nipped up the inside of the retreating Godolphin pacemaker on the turn for home, stealing a march on Galileo, who was forced wider on the bend. As the duo engaged in a titanic tussle up the straight Fantastic Light just pulled out enough to deny Galileo by a head.

Folk Opera
2008 EP Taylor Stakes

Folk Opera had failed to trouble the judge when a nine-length seventh behind the brilliant Zarkava in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp and headed to Canada in search of a first top-level triumph.

Sent off favourite, the filly was given a classic ride from the front by Dettori, who bossed it and stacked up his rivals before kicking for home two out. This was Folk Opera's best chance of winning a race at the highest level and Dettori gave her every opportunity of doing so, delivering on the big day.

It was only a flying visit for Dettori but very much a case of a job done with ruthless efficiency as the filly prevailed by a length and three-quarters.

Never Can Tell
2011 Cesarewitch

Being drawn in stall 36 in the Cesarewitch is the stuff of nightmares for both trainers and jockeys but Dettori, who up until 2011 had not won the valuable handicap, never missed a beat on the Jamie Osborne-trained runner.

Never Can Tell: Dettori celebrates after winning the Cesarewitch
Never Can Tell: Dettori celebrates after winning the CesarewitchCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dettori, who asked Osborne not to give him any riding instructions, managed to pull off a masterpiece, exiting the stalls smartly before steadily making his way across to the rail. Dettori made another significant move on the turn into the straight as he brought his mount into the centre, away from her rivals while maintaining an advantage.

Approaching the final few furlongs, the challengers lined up but could not manage to pass the determined filly and rider.

Snow Fairy
2012 Irish Champion Stakes

In what would prove to be Snow Fairy's final appearance Dettori pulled another big-race victory out of the bag.

Among the opposition was Coral-Eclipse winner Nathaniel, who just lost out in the King George to Danedream, and the brilliant St Nicholas Abbey.

Shining light: Snow Fairy leaves her rivals in the shade as she wins the 2012 Irish Champion Stakes
Shining light: Snow Fairy leaves her rivals in the shade as she wins the 2012 Irish Champion StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Snow Fairy was patiently held up in fourth as Ballydoyle pacemaker Daddy Long Legs set a brisk tempo but it was clear she was travelling sweetly as Nathaniel swept for home up the straight.

In a thrilling finish, Dettori timed his finishing run to perfection, sweeping past Nathaniel having conserved every ounce of energy.

Golden Horn
2015 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Anthony Oppenheimer's striking colt came into the Arc as a three-time Group 1 winner, following victories in the Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes, but he had suffered a shock loss to 50-1 chance Arabian Queen in the Juddmonte International.

Sent off at 9-2 behind the dual Arc heroine Treve, with an unfavourable draw in stall 14, Dettori guided the son of Cape Cross wide before moving across to settle in second behind the pace-making Shahah.

That manoeuvre, which likely prevented the colt getting boxed in, was an ice-cool piece of riding from the Italian and it was fully rewarded with a two-length success over the talented Flintshire.


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Kitty TriceBloodstock journalist

Published on 21 July 2019inNews

Last updated 15:01, 21 July 2019

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