Frankie Dettori view vindicated as Star Catcher shines in Ribblesdale Stakes

For all the strength in your body and the delicate mastery in your hands, a brain is just as important to a jockey.

The accumulated wisdom of three decades in the saddle played a huge part in Frankie Dettori's third victory on this day of days.

His brainwave two months earlier was probably the key factor in Star Catcher's win in the Ribblesdale Stakes for Anthony Oppenheimer and John Gosden.

Landing a 1m2f maiden at Newbury in April which had previously fallen to future Oaks winners Eswarah and Dancing Rain immediately focuses thoughts on Epsom – particularly as the owner of Golden Horn and Cracksman had never won that Classic and would have been understandably keen to break his duck.

But Dettori knew she was not ready for that. His advice was heeded, a longer-term plan was hatched and the filly rewarded that patience.

Star Catcher took the belated step up in class in her stride, hitting the front entering the final quarter-mile and stretching out well to score by a length and a half from Fleeting – who had been beaten an almost identical margin when third in the Oaks.

An admiring Gosden was quick to recall that Newbury maiden, a race he and Dettori had won 12 months earlier with Lah Ti Dar who was Oaks favourite until she was injured.

"Star Catcher broke her maiden and Frankie got straight off and said 'She's in the Oaks, don't go for the Oaks'," the trainer said.

"He said go to the Ribblesdale, she's not got the strength for the Oaks yet. And he was so right. This was the plan: don't be tempted by the Oaks, wait for the Ribblesdale, and a gorgeous race it is on a big day."

Ribblesdale Stakes: view the race replay along with the result here

A good jockey also needs the humility to admit when they get things wrong and Dettori held his hands up after finishing only third on Star Catcher when making the running in a Listed race at Newbury last month.

Gosden said: "The pace was a bit slow the other day in the Listed race at Newbury and Frankie said 'I went too slow'. I said 'she'll stay, don't worry about that, she's run a nice trial'."

Oppenheimer added: "Frankie said that he made a mistake and he thought she could have won. We knew she was pretty smart."

So is her jockey. A huge Gold Cup crowd and the cowering bookmaking industry certainly think so.

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