Dettori in his element as rain fails to put a dampener on his celebrations

At his course and in front of his people racing’s greatest showman took centre stage at Royal Ascot on Wednesday with Frankie Dettori landing a big-race double in inspired fashion.

With the rain lashing down, the crowds still made their way en masse to the winner’s enclosure after the Queen Mary and Prince of Wales’s Stakes to ensure they could get their own photo of the Italian rider’s trademark flying dismount – and each airbound leap was cheered enthusiastically by his expectant audience.

What day two at Royal Ascot emphasised is that the man universally known as ‘Frankie’ inside and outside racing has a following with and a pull on the public like no other.

Racegoer Leisa Bretc was celebrating backing Crystal Ocean and Dettori, and said: "We always look for what he’s riding and have a bet on him. He’s brilliant when he’s riding in the races and he’s such fun around it all too.

"He’s a real attraction and if he stopped riding people would be saying how much of a shame it was that Frankie wasn’t around. We love him."

Fellow racegoer David Jarvis sided with Dettori and Rawdaa in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, but despite their narrow reverse he had only praise for the jockey.

"He’s a great jockey with such energy," he said. "He brings a lot of people into the game who otherwise would have no interest in it.

"He’s had to come back and rebuild his career and I think that means something to people, and he’s a really good jockey too. He’s a huge asset to the sport, he really is."

Dettori has always been at his best when riding at Ascot with many of his landmark moments, such as his Magnificent Seven wins in 1996, coming at the course.

Frankie Dettori: an ambassador for the sportCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nick Smith, Ascot director of racing and communications, said: "Frankie’s the absolute embodiment of Royal Ascot behind the Queen. He’s got a truly special relationship with the course and that’s something we never overlook.

"He rode his first Group 1 winner here and his Magnificent Seven changed his life, this sport and this racecourse. He has always, always done everything he could to help this racecourse and this meeting and that means a huge amount to everyone."

Despite his elevated status with the public, Dettori continues to embrace the build-up to such meetings with relish, according to Smith.

"He did every single media and social event in the run-up to this meeting and couldn’t have been helpful enough," Smith added. "It’s heavy the head that wears the crown in many ways but he takes it on board with such enthusiasm. We’re lucky as a sport to have him."

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