'Am I dreaming?' - Dettori overcome with emotion after Chaldean wins the 2,000 Guineas in farewell year

Just as Coronation day was threatening to end up a damp squib on the Rowley Mile, Frankie Dettori came riding to the rescue as Chaldean powered through rain-softened ground to win the Qipco 2,000 Guineas.

Riding in the Newmarket Classic for the 29th and final time of an unrivalled career, Dettori kept things wonderfully simple, sitting close to the pace, kicking for home early and never looking likely to be challenged once he had seen off the attention of 125-1 shot Hi Royal in second.

For perhaps the first time since he arrived in Newmarket almost 40 years ago, words then threatened to fail Dettori in the winner's enclosure.

Knowing this would be his final 2,000 Guineas, a race he has won at his local track on three previous occasions, was clearly hard to process, while the fact it had ended in such a decisive triumph left him asking if it was really happening.

"Am I dreaming?" said the 52-year-old, who will hang up his saddle at the end of the year. "It's so surreal and feels like a dream. Emotionally, to win my last 2,000 Guineas, it's amazing."

Chaldean comes home ahead of huge outsider Hi Royal in the 2,000 GuineasCredit: Mark Cranham

Not only will Chaldean be remembered as the horse who won the 2,000 Guineas on the same day as the coronation of King Charles, he will also carry the rare distinction of winning a Classic after unseating his rider on his previous start.

Dettori, who will bid for a 23rd British Classic aboard Lezoo in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas, looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or cry when slipping from the saddle shortly after the start in the Greenham Stakes and, while the outcome could not have been more different on this occasion, the rider was again teetering between tears and laughter.

"To cap off my last season with a Classic is beyond my wildest dreams, especially after what happened at Newbury last time," said Dettori. "My emotions are all over the place. I don't know whether to laugh, cry or enjoy it. I'm so messed up at the moment – let me soak it all in!

"I was in a fight with Oisin [Murphy, rider of Hi Royal] and once I got rid of him I was sure something was going to come out of the pack. All I could see was daylight and I couldn't believe it was happening to me. To win my last Guineas in front of my home crowd is amazing."

Frankie Dettori jumps from Chaldean after an absorbing 2,000 GuineasCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Chaldean's victory secured winning trainer Andrew Balding a second 2,000 Guineas in four years after Kameko's win in 2020 but, like the rest of Newmarket, Dettori was at the front of his mind.

"What a brilliant ride," said Balding, overcome with emotion after Kameko's win but much more coherent this time. "Ever since I've been involved in the sport he's been an omnipresent superstar of the sport and what a fitting way to end his last 2,000 Guineas.

"What happened at Newbury was a concern beforehand but it still did him some good because he got out there. He always looked to be travelling comfortably today and I was just a bit worried about getting past Oisin as he can get extra lengths out of horses. Once we collared him I was fairly confident.

"How lucky am I that the first yearling Juddmonte sent me was Chaldean. Hopefully he's the first of many."

Andrew Balding: has now won the 2,000 Guineas twice in the last four yearsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

While not discounting tackling a mile and a quarter at some stage this season, both Balding and Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon were happy to point the way to Royal Ascot and the St James's Palace Stakes over a mile next, with Paddy Power making him the 4-5 favourite for Ascot's Group 1 on June 20.

"It's a special day for Juddmonte," said Mahon. "He was good last year but jeez, he's better this year. It was a great training performance and a great ride. Frankie has been such a phenomenal figure for so many years and to be part of this is incredible.

"Chaldean is a son of Frankel, a Group-1 winning two-year-old and a Classic-winning three-year-old. You can't get much better than that and I think he'll go for the St James's Palace next."

Victory for Dettori at his final Royal Ascot would be something for the sport to savour, just like victory in his final 2,000 Guineas was. It might have rained all day but, when it comes to Dettori, every cloud has a silver lining.

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