Dettori banking on Country Grammer in Saudi Cup
Last year’s runner-up looked as good as ever on his return.
Frankie Dettori will look to Country Grammer to go one better than last year and give him a first Saudi Cup victory as his valedictory lap begins in earnest later this month. Dettori intends to retire at the end of the 2023 campaign and he decided to revisit his youth over the winter months, heading back to America to ride at Santa Anita, the track upon which he honed his craft as a young man. The decision has allowed him to renew his association with the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer well ahead of his Riyadh assignment, with the pair teaming up to win the Grade Two San Antonio Stakes on Boxing Day – Dettori’s first day at the track. He said: “It took me by surprise, the first day I came here to ride he was one of my first runners, the pressure was on. Boxing day there were 40,000 people here and he was a big favourite, so of course I wanted the horse to win and he won in style. I was super pleased with him and he still retains all the ability he had last year, it was a good start to the season.Country Grammer and @FrankieDettori land the $12m Dubai World Cup! #DWC22 pic.twitter.com/KMml3Ir6WJ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 26, 2022
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