'Maybe John was right' - Dettori wins on first ride back after Gosden sabbatical

Thursday: Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, Newmarket

It was quite literally all roses again between Frankie Dettori and John Gosden after their successful reunion in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at the July festival.

The roses were handed out by Cecil's widow Lady Jane after Mighty Ulysses read the script and justified favouritism to give the jockey his first British winner since June 25.

Dettori's ride on Mighty Ulysses marked the end of his "sabbatical" from the Clarehaven stable that came about after a series of high-profile reversals at Royal Ascot.

The split, which was indefinite at the time it was announced, was reversed earlier this week when Gosden announced Dettori would ride Emily Upjohn in the Irish Oaks, Inspiral in Friday's Falmouth Stakes and Mighty Ulysses here.

Dettori had to think on his feet to steer the 11-10 chance home having had to discard Plan A when the stalls opened. The pair were headed inside the final two furlongs, but got back in front to win going away by a length and a half from the Owen Burrows-trained Alflaila.

The jockey said of his reconnection with Gosden, who trains alongside son Thady: "I'd be the first to say I had the worst Royal Ascot in my 35-year career. Maybe John was right, I needed a sabbatical.

"We're not kids any more so we sorted things out and now it's about going forward. What's passed has passed and I'm glad we had a winner on the first day."

Lady Jane Cecil attaches a pink rose to John Gosden's lapel after Mighty Ulysses landed the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dettori was criticised by Gosden after his unsuccessful ride on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup at Ascot, as well as for going to Italy before and after the royal meeting.

The jockey added: "We had a behind-closed-doors meeting and ironed a few things out. It would have been a shame to end it like that as he's been a friend to me for 30 years. I'm forever grateful to him and I don't like holding grudges."

On Tuesday the July course had provided the backdrop to the warming of relations between the two camps when Dettori pitched up to ride work on Irish Oaks-bound Emily Upjohn well before her work slot of 6am.

Dettori, who had his first British ride of the month at Kempton on Wednesday night, said of Mighty Ulysses: "He likes a lead and he likes to run at horses and I thought the only obvious one [to follow] was Jim Crowley [rider of Monaadah].

Mighty Ulysses and Frankie Dettori on their way to victory in the Sir Henry Cecil StakesCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"When he went to the fence to expose me to daylight I was running a bit keen, so I had to do my own thing. I knew it was going to be a sprint finish and when Jason Watson headed me [on Berkshire Shadow] I thought 'oh god, it's not working out', but in fairness he knuckled down and won."

Gosden said: "It's good we're back together but much has been said about that already. The plan was for this horse to take a lead, but he got the job done. He had to come wide at Royal Ascot and still ran well, and he could go to the Group 3 at Goodwood for three-year-olds – that would be the logical place to go."

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