Perfect farewell as Dettori seals Champion success on King Of Steel

Nick Robson and Molly Hunter
October 21, 2023 3:38 pm

‘I’m pretty emotional to be honest, but happy tears!’.

Frankie Dettori treated his British fans to one last piece of magic as he steered King Of Steel to victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

The weighing-room legend teamed up with Roger Varian’s charge for the final ride of his British career, with Dettori now heading off on a series of international engagements before a move to America for the final leg of his exceptional career.

Ever the showman, Dettori ensured he brought the curtain down in style, guiding 3-1 favourite King Of Steel from last to first in the Ascot straight to grab a narrow verdict over Via Sistina.

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. I was doing my best on top and the scream that I got was just incredible, thanks to all of you.

“What a feeling, the crowd! For the first race I thought the crowd were good but they took it to another level, it was honestly incredible.

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

He had earlier got off to a perfect start, as Trawlerman battled back gamely for victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, the first race of the day.

Trawlerman (9-1) was left in front around half a mile from home in the two-mile affair, as pacesetting Maxident dropped away sharply.

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Dettori looked a sitting duck as 11-10 favourite Kyprios reeled him in down the straight, passing him with two furlongs to run, but Dettori had saved something and showed all his skill in mounting another challenge.

Reining his mount back in, he switched to Kyprios’ outside and Trawlerman stuck his head out on the line to grab victory.

Dettori said: “I heard the roar of the crowd – oh my god it was special – especially when I was cutting him back, I couldn’t believe it.

“I’ve beaten one of my greatest rivals who I have tremendous respect for in Ryan Moore, on my final day. Sensational.

“He passed me comfortably and I thought he was going to go and win by 20 lengths, but once he didn’t get away from me I thought I maybe had a little bit left. In fairness to the horse he kept going.”

John Gosden, who trains Trawlerman with his son, Thady, said: “Imagine if he (Dettori) wins the next – it’ll take the roof off the place. Kinross likes this ground – he could be on for a double. We’ll never hear the end of it, will we?!”

But it was not to be two from two for Dettori, as this time it was his turn to be reeled in, with 40-1 chance Art Power fighting back to deny hot favourite Kinross in the British Champions Sprint.

Free Wind was next for Dettori in the Fillies & Mares Stakes, but while she flattered briefly the Gosden-trained mare could manage only fifth behind brave all-the-way winner Poptronic.

Then it was 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but he never got in a blow, finishing well adrift of a very impressive winner in Big Rock, trained in France by Christopher Head, before King Of Steel gave everyone the result they wanted.