I'm a fan of the Shergar Cup - but history suggests Frankie Dettori doesn't necessarily feel the same way

I don't want to seem unfriendly or unsupportive to our greatest jockey in this, his final season, but if there's one thing that surprises me about Frankie Dettori's farewell tour, it's that he's taking part in the Shergar Cup this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Ascot's annual jockeys' competition – I just don't think he feels the same way.

In saying that, I'm going against his quote in a press release last month: "The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is always a fun event and I was keen to be involved in my final year riding." After all these decades, he's an accomplished media performer and he knows the right thing to say. Did this particular statement come straight from the heart?

We all know Dettori loves Ascot and has proved especially adept there. Over the last five years, as he's tended to focus more on quality, he's ridden 36 winners there, a dozen more than at any other track. So perhaps that explains his involvement this time, the fact that this represents one of a rapidly diminishing number of opportunities to win at his favourite venue. It's not as if there's much going on elsewhere.