Ciao! Dettori delights Ascot crowd with Hollywood ending

Champion Stakes victory puts the seal on day that will live long in the memory.

Should we have ever doubted him? Given the year – and career – Frankie Dettori has had, he was always going to produce something special at Ascot on his farewell to British racing.

But to ride off into the American sunshine by winning the Qipco Champion Stakes on King Of Steel? Even he could not quite believe it.

The day started with an incredible ride from the 52-year-old Italian on Trawlerman in the Long Distance Cup, chasing a pacemaker, hitting the front only to be passed before regaining the lead close home.

That sent the crowd into a frenzy and there was a Cheltenham-like roar when Dettori galvanised his mount – and he almost made the bookies run for cover as Kinross hit the front in the Champions Sprint that followed only for Art Power to battle back and deny him a repeat victory.

The well-fancied Free Wind was well beaten in the Fillies & Mares race and when Chaldean was tailed off in the QEII, it all came down to King Of Steel in the final Group One of the day.

Dettori's day began in fine style on Trawlerman
Dettori’s day began in fine style on Trawlerman (John Walton/PA)

Second in the Derby and a Royal Ascot winner, his claims were clear but trainer Roger Varian had worries about the testing ground for his giant grey.

Last in the early stages and not looking comfortable, Dettori somehow conjured up a stirring finish to beat the filly Via Sistina, with the 3-1 favourite getting home by three-quarters of a length.

With the Ascot crowd chanting, ‘oh, Frankie Dettori’, the Italian returned to the winner’s enclosure for a final flying dismount to rapturous celebrations.

He said: “It’s emotional really, I don’t know what to say. I cannot believe it, the crowd have been sublime.

“It’s a fairytale ending to me, Ascot is my home. I’m pretty emotional to be honest, but happy tears!

“When I hit the front I’m thinking ‘this must be a dream, it can’t be right’ but then I realised it did happen and I just went numb.

“The first race was mad, but this was another level to be honest with you. It was incredible, everyone was cheering for me.

“They souped it up that it was my last race so everyone was up for it. It was amazing.”

King Of Steel (right) gets up late to deny Via Sistina
King Of Steel (right) gets up late to deny Via Sistina (John Walton/PA)

It had to be Ascot, of course. The scene of so many of his great victories and his famous ‘Magnificent Seven’.

On that day in 1996, Ascot looked very different – before its multi-million pound redevelopment – and Dettori’s life was about to change forever.

While he was not an unknown by any stretch of the imagination, after riding all seven winners on the card, on the equivalent afternoon of what is now known as British Champions Day, he became a household name.

Casual racegoers would just back him in every race, expecting him to repeat the feat without quite realising just what he had achieved.

That popularity remained until the end, so much so that one punter was spotted writing out his betting slip at Ascot and instead of writing the horses names, he just wrote “Frankie” next to his four selected races.

Perhaps only Lester Piggott has surpassed him in terms of the indelible mark he leaves on the sport.

Dettori is now heading off to ride at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, the Melbourne Cup, Hong Kong’s international races in December and then the next stage of his life – a full-time move to California, where he rode with such success last winter.

While he is a popular figure in the States, he knows himself he will miss the adulation of the British crowds, his adopted homeland.

“It was special after the race, they were chanting, ‘oh, Frankie Dettori’ – that’s one thing I’m going to miss. I can’t take that to America with me because I’m fairly new over there,” he said.

“It’s been memorable from the beginning of the season. I wanted to finish at the top and it doesn’t get any better than this.

“I need to regroup now, go to the States (for the Breeders’ Cup) and then before Christmas we move there for good.

“I don’t know if King Of Steel is going to the Breeders’ Cup, Kia (Joorabchian, owner) has said to keep the option open. I got him over the line today so my job is done!

“I’m focussing on my American adventure at the moment, I’m not thinking about next summer, I’m going to be there every day, I’ve no plans to come back here.

“My first ride is on December 26, Boxing Day.”

Other jockeys have ridden more winners than Dettori, but none have dominated the sport like he has.

If we will get to see him ride in the UK again remains up for debate, but he was sticking by the line that this perfect farewell is his intended finale.

Given his final ride is the winner of the Champion Stakes, he might just be a longer price now to return. Quite simply, how do you top that?

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest