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Jet-setting Dettori set for James Garfield Sprint Cup ride after Enable steer

James Garfield: heads to the Sprint Cup at Haydock
James Garfield: heads to the Sprint Cup at HaydockCredit: Dan Abraham

Frankie Dettori is considered so integral to the success of James Garfield that connections are prepared to fly him to Haydock to ride the colt in the 32Red Sprint Cup after he has ridden Enable in her vital comeback race at Kempton a week on Saturday.

With two hours ten minutes between the champion filly's scheduled return to action in the 188Bet September Stakes at 2.05 and the Sprint Cup at 4.15 there is time to ferry the in-demand jockey between the two meetings.


Sprint Cup entries


Dettori has steered the George Scott-trained James Garfield to his two most important victories in the Group 2 Mill Reef and Greenham Stakes as well as his latest start when just denied a first Group 1 triumph in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.

But with Enable, who has not run since ending a stellar 2017 campaign with victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and James Garfield running on the same day 172 miles apart as the crow flies, the filly takes priority and the jockey will only be available for the Bill and Tim Gredley owned sprinter if he has no other commitments for John Gosden.

"I think Frankie is very important to James Garfield," said Scott. "His record on the horse would suggest he is. He has ridden him six times, won the Mill Reef, had no luck in running the Breeders' Cup, won the Greenham, ran very well in the Guineas and then ran well in the Maurice de Gheest.

"For whatever reason they get on very well. I don't know why but Frankie understands him, when he gets on he gives him a pat and a stroke. James Garfield is a very intelligent horse and they just seemed to have bonded. I would be very keen to keep that intact."

Scott continued: "Frankie is certainly going to be at Kempton however we will be picking him up from Kempton all being well, provided Mr Gosden doesn't need him after Enable or request him but the plan at this stage provided everything fall into place is that he will be picked up from Kempton and flown up to Haydock.

"There is time provided Bill Gredley very kindly puts on a mode of transport which is quicker than a car."

After James Garfield, who is set to be supplemented for a cost of £15,600 for the Group 1 sprint, was collared so late by Polydream at Deauville Scott said, 'my heart is broken'.

He said on Thursday: "I think in the heat of the moment I got carried away with the broken heart. There are far more serious things going in the world. It was obviously fairly painful at the time.

"With the benefit of a couple of weeks we have taken a lot of positives out of that run in France. We are going to supplement for Haydock."

James Garfield is 8-1 second favourite behind last year's big race winner Harry Angel who is 9-4.

"Harry Angel sets a very good standard," Scott said. "He is two from two at the track and an excellent sprinter. So he will be ahead of us all on ratings.

"However behind that we have beaten The Tin Man and Brando. It's hard to know who is going to turn up but in terms of expectations I am expecting him to run a very good race. He is in tremendous form.

"Winning a Group 1 is really important for any trainer but to win a Group 1 this early on in my career would be fantastic for myself, for the team and lay down a nice marker for our intentions in the years to come."


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Published on 30 August 2018inNews

Last updated 16:26, 30 August 2018

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