'It's bonkers' - Prosperous Voyage and Hornby shock 1-7 Inspiral and Dettori

Friday: Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes, Newmarket

Rob Hornby and Frankie Dettori have handled recent reversals in fortune with aplomb and it became clear as they entered the final furlong of the Falmouth Stakes that one of them was going to get a well-deserved break.

It did not so much as fall Hornby's way as he seized it on Prosperous Voyage. Having seen Inspiral and Sandrine pass him two furlongs out, he kept his cool and rather than responding to their greater acceleration, trusted his filly's stamina and ground them down. By the line he was a length and three quarters clear.

While Dettori's 'sabbatical' from John and Thady Gosden's stable has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, Hornby's jocking off from subsequent Irish Derby winner Westover was of a similarly high profile.

He was gracious as he watched Colin Keane achieve a win he was almost certainly capable of delivering and then found out Scope – who had at that point given him his only Group 1 win – had to be put down after fracturing his right-hind cannon bone and pastern during exercise.

Here his need was arguably greater. Dettori's legacy is already ensured, but Hornby was doubling his Group 1 tally. He described it as "bonkers", while trainer Ralph Beckett pointed out perhaps the greatest irony.

If Gosden's tension with Dettori had been allowed to run a while longer and the 1-7 favourite Inspiral had another man aboard, then Prosperous Voyage's owners Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen would have almost certainly opted for their good friend Dettori over Hornby.

Dettori was due to ride the filly if she had run in Thursday's Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, but 'them's the breaks' as they say. It certainly was not lost on the rider.

Prosperous Voyage edges out 1-7 favourite Inspiral (left) in the Falmouth Stakes on FridayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"It's crazy isn't it how things can change," he said. "I'm just so pleased for the filly and the whole team. It's bonkers isn't it? I'm in a very privileged position thanks to Ralph and the owners and connections, to be riding in these Group 1s is where all jockeys want to be and days like this make everything worthwhile.

"It's a crazy sport we play, the ups and downs of it. It was terribly sad to lose Scope, especially after the yard having such a tremendous weekend with Westover.

"Nothing's ever happened for me straight away, I plugged away through my apprenticeship under the guidance of Mr [Andrew] Balding and the academy there probably stood me in good stead for the highs and lows of what's to come.

"You've got to keep kicking and when the opportunity is given to you try your best and get it done."

Hornby was touched too by the reception he received.

"I've never had that before, even in France there was no-one there so it was a strange journey home," he added. "It's something I've never experienced and they always have an appreciative crowd here. I'm over the moon. Especially after the year we've had.

"We went down narrowly in the Guineas and you're always thinking what might have been, and then what's happened in the last three weeks. It's bonkers."

Rob Hornby celebrates as Prosperous Voyage wins the Falmouth Stakes at NewmarketCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Beckett too recognised the importance of the moment for his loyal rider.

"He gave her a lovely ride," he said. "He's done it before, he did it on Scope last year in France and we don't lack faith in him. It's just we have three jockeys riding work regularly and if an owner wants a different jockey that's their prerogative, we all know that – it's how it works.

"He's become an integral part of our operation. Whether he rides all the horses or not is not the be all and end all. He's a very laid-back character and nothing bothers him.

"When he was challenged he sat still, which suits this filly and she came good underneath him. He does that a bit [waits on one that gets passed], you'll see it when our horses are running really well. Sometimes it's gone well, sometimes it's not gone so well but he never panics."

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