‘I have a proper shot at it’ – Dettori daring to dream with Arrest

Molly Hunter
June 2, 2023 8:19 pm

Magical Italian ‘wouldn’t swap’ his final Derby ride.

Frankie Dettori is as relaxed as ever and feels he has “nothing to prove” ahead of his last ever Betfred Derby ride aboard Arrest.

The veteran jockey – who will bring the curtain down on his glittering career at the end of 2023 – will join forces with John and Thady Gosden for the blue riband, an event he has won twice before aboard Authorized and Golden Horn, in 2007 and 2015 respectively.

Arrest is a son of Frankel who took an established Derby trial when landing the Chester Vase by six and a half lengths in May, though the soft going meant that race was run in significantly different conditions to those expected at the weekend.

Nevertheless, the Juddmonte-owned colt has undertaken a pleasing gallop since at Epsom, and his status as a Derby hopeful is a boon for Dettori as he did not expect to pick up a competitive ride in his final year in the saddle.

He said: “It’s my last year, I thought I’d find it hard to find a Derby ride, never mind a Derby ride with a chance. It’s actually surprising to me that I’m in this position and I have a shot at it, a proper shot at it. I’m very excited.

Dettori and Arrest during their racecourse gallop at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA)

“When I said in December I was going to retire, I never thought I’d get the ride on a horse with a great chance to win the Derby, so it is a great position to be in.

“Arrest has filled out to be a good-looking horse, very strong, he’s improved throughout the spring and won his trial very well, even if it was a non-event on that ground. We know the distance is no problem, he’s full of himself and it looks a wide-open Derby. I would say I’ve got as good a chance as anyone.

“I wouldn’t like to swap him with anything else because I feel like I’m going in with as good a chance as anyone. He’s got a bit of a round action, a high knee action, we took him to Epsom and gave him a bit of a gallop round and he seems fine.”

With Auguste Rodin having a question mark after his eclipse in the Guineas, there is no runaway favourite for the race this year. But Dettori has an eye on Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger, a maiden winner who suffered a luckless passage through the Dante before dead-heating for third.

Arrest winning the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes (David Davies/PA)

“He’s the one that we still don’t know how good he is, he never got a fair crack at the Dante and he’s only run twice, so he could be anything,” he said.

Arrest is drawn in stall 13 of 14 runners and while the perceived wisdom is that a higher draw is generally beneficial at Epsom, Dettori does not think the stall position is as significant a factor as others believe.

He said: “There has been a lot of emphasis on it, but they’ve been winning from everywhere.

“To win the Derby you need a good horse, the draw makes no difference. Simple as that!”

Arrest and Dettori at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA)

Though he expects the emotion of hanging up his boots to catch up with him as his final rides loom, for now Dettori is enjoying his farewell tour and at ease going into one of the biggest weekends of racing anywhere in the world.

He said: “Believe it or not, I’m so chilled. Maybe it’s because I’ve got nothing to prove and if I do make a balls up of it, it doesn’t matter. I’m feeling very chilled, I’m embracing it, I’m super relaxed.

“I’m really enjoying it. It will be a different kettle of fish when I get to October and the last few days will be difficult, but at the moment I feel good.”