Golden Horn in the Derby ‘probably my biggest thrill’, says Dettori

But big names were also beaten on the way to Authorized in 2007.

Frankie Dettori credits the Betfred Derby with giving him the “biggest thrill” of his career as he prepares for one last roll of the dice at Epsom.

The Italian is one of the most successful and well-known jockeys of all time, but all good things must come to an end and this year will be his last before retirement.

As a result of that decision, his journey throughout the fixtures of the Flat season is naturally grabbing the headlines, and on Saturday all eyes will be on his ride in one of the oldest and most prestigious races in existence.

Dettori will partner John and Thady Gosden’s Arrest, a Frankel colt with a live chance of providing him with a third victory in the premier Classic.

Those two prior successes and the promise of retirement leave the 52-year-old rider feeling relaxed ahead of his final Derby performance – an emotion he was not familiar with when striving to get his name on the roll of honour in years gone by.

Dettori winning the Guineas on Cape Verdi, who was defeated as the favourite in the Derby
Dettori winning the 1000 Guineas on Cape Verdi, who was defeated as the favourite in the Derby (Rebecca Naden/PA

Dettori’s first Derby ride was Pollen Count in 1992, who finished 16th of 18, and he would have to wait 15 years before he could return triumphant from the Epsom Downs track to the tiny winner’s circle.

Incidentally that decade-and-a-half wait was something endured also by Sir Anthony McCoy, who had a similar barren spell in searching for his first Grand National.

In the meantime Dettori partnered several contenders who ultimately fell short – Tamure was second in 1995, Shantou was third in 1996, Cape Verdi was ninth as the 11-4 favourite in 1998, Dubai Millennium was also ninth as the 5-1 favourite in 1999, Tobougg was third in 2001, Snow Ridge was seventh as the 7-2 joint-favourite in 2004 and Dubawi was third in 2005.

Finally Authorized obliged in 2007 for trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam, winning by a wonderful five lengths as the 5-4 favourite and sweetening the sour relationship between Dettori and the race.

“It was a nightmare. Every time it came to the Derby it was a nightmare!” he said of the winless run.

Dettori and Authorized are victorious in 2007
Dettori and Authorized are victorious in 2007 (Rebecca Naden/PA)

“When I won in 2007 I was full of relief. Finally, it was the last piece of the jigsaw.

“It was a nightmare though, even more when I rode Authorized because he was a big favourite, it was a lot on me and it was a relief.

“Cape Verdi got beat, I rode Dubai Millennium, I rode loads of good ones that got beat.

“The point of the Derby is it’s only once a year – once it’s gone, it’s gone. At Ascot you’ve got 35 races, you’ve got the rest of the afternoon, but the Derby only comes once.”

Dettori would go on to win again in 2015, this time with the Gosden-trained Golden Horn, who struck as the 13-8 favourite and provided the rider with one of the most memorable days of his career.

Golden Horn winning the 2015 Derby
Golden Horn winning the 2015 Derby (PA)

“Golden Horn was a different thing because I really got to enjoy it, I was older and my kids were older,” he said.

“I didn’t have the pressure to try to win it for the first time either, so it was a lot more enjoyable. Probably my biggest thrill in one single race was that race.”

Though the racing industry has inevitably changed since Dettori first took to the track as a young man from Italy, he still considers the Derby the pinnacle of achievement in racing and credits it as the driving factor in the development of the thoroughbred breed.

“It’s the most important race, we have been breeding thoroughbreds for 350 years to win the Derby,” he said.

“For a jockey, when you start you want to win the Derby. Trainers, owners, breeders, the Derby is why we are breeding thoroughbreds, for this race.

“The tradition has been going for hundreds of years and it will be going for hundreds of years. It is the most important race.”

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