Having initially announced his retirement at the end of last year, the 2023 flat racing season has developed into something of a farewell tour for Frankie Dettori. One of the greatest jockeys to ever grace the sport, a host of fans are heading to the courses to enjoy his contributions while they can.
It’s already been a successful season for the 52-year-old, but he’s targeting even more winners before finally hanging up his riding boots.
Future Challenges
He may be approaching the end of his racing career, but Frankie Dettori is showing no signs of slowing down. He remains as competitive as ever, and he’s landed a host of winners in 2023.
As time runs out on that career, there are just a handful of targets remaining. In June 2023, Dettori headed to Royal Ascot and a meeting that had been a fruitful one in previous years. He had claimed 77 winners going into 2023 and was aiming to break the 80 mark across the four days.
Included in his list of likely runners was Stratum, a horse who had won each of the two previous editions of the Queen Alexandra Stakes. A hat trick of wins would have also provided Dettori with a perfect send-off in the final race of the 2023 festival.
Early horse racing odds had placed Stratum as the favourite at +300 followed by Dawn Rising and Vauban who were both quoted at +500. The three horses were clear of a chasing pack, but all eyes were on Dettori and Stratum.
Once Royal Ascot came to a close for another year, Frankie Dettori’s diary also began to run down. His very final race is likely to be at the Breeders Cup at the start of November. Frankie has already claimed 14 winners at this meeting, including the Classic on Raven’s Pass in 2008.
A successful meeting Stateside would provide a fitting, final end to such a brilliant career.
Before that final curtain comes down, Dettori will complete the flat racing season in England, before seeking other opportunities overseas. As yet, there is no confirmed ride in France’s most prestigious race, the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe, but it’s hoped that Frankie will be in contention.
This has been a productive event for the jockey, and he has six previous wins here. Dettori’s run of success at the ‘Arc’ began with Lammtarra in 1995 and, most recently, he recorded a notable double on Enable in 2017 and 2018.
Clearly, there is much still to be done before the end finally comes, but can Frankie Dettori remain competitive as his last season unfolds?
A Productive Season
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Across the 2023 UK and Ireland flat racing season, Frankie Dettori has proved that he can still be a force at the big races. There have already been some significant wins but his biggest disappointment this year undoubtedly came at the Epsom Derby in June.
Having previously won the Derby twice, in 2007 and 2015, he would have surely been looking at a hat trick. Dettori looked handily placed on Arrest, but the horse trailed home in tenth.
There have been some notable triumphs elsewhere. In May, Dettori notched his fourth win at the 2,000 Guineas on Chalkdean, while success also came in the Oaks with the jockey piloting Soul Sister home.
Wins in the early days of Royal Ascot 2023, have also shown that Frankie Dettori has lost none of his competitive edge. Whatever happens in the remaining months, he’ll always be remembered as one of the finest jockeys of all time.
Greatest Achievements
Even those who have just a passing interest in horse racing will be aware of Frankie Dettori’s finest day. At Ascot in September 1996, he won all seven races on the card. It came to be known as the ‘Magnificent Seven’ and it was an unprecedented achievement that has yet to be matched.
The wins came outside of the Royal Ascot meeting, but this has clearly been a productive course. He has been most prolific in the Ascot Gold Cup where he secured no fewer than eight victories from 1992 through to 2020.
Away from Ascot, Dettori has been a consistent force, both in the UK and overseas. Eight wins have been equally shared between the 1,000 Guineas and the 2,000 Guineas, while there have been six titles in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.
Frankie has also enjoyed a degree of success in Ireland which showcases some of the oldest races in the sport’s history. His most productive event here has been the Irish Champion Stakes which he has won on six occasions.
Outside of the UK, his best results have come in France. Along with those six victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, there have been other notable wins in some big renewals. Dettori’s biggest successes across the English channel have come in the Prix Jacques le Marois.
Run at Deauville every August, the Prix Jacques has seen Dettori deliver seven winners, starting with Dubai Millennium in 1999 and running through to Inspiral in 2022.
Frankie Dettori has claimed great success in most racing-focused countries around the world. There are some notable exceptions, and he’s yet to really make a mark in Australia, but the global horse racing community are well aware of his qualities.
If he stays true to his retirement plans, there will be just a few months left to add to that incredible haul of trophies, but there is a question mark as to whether he’ll stick around a little longer.
Will he or Won’t he?
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There are some suggestions that Frankie Dettori is merely teasing us, and that he may yet shelve his retirement plans. Part of that theory revolves around his son, Rocco who is aiming at a career as a jockey.
The reports claim that Frankie Dettori is keen to compete against his son in future races. Rocco has still some way to go as he moved through the professional ranks, so the desire for father and son to take each other on may have to wait for a year or two.
There is the chance that the elder Dettori may just come back as a one-off as his son makes his way in the racing world. It’s an intriguing possibility, although the report has yet to gain much momentum outside of its original source.
When we look at Frankie Dettori’s achievements this year, it’s clear that he has the quality to continue racing. Victories in The Oaks and the 2000 Guineas tell us that he still continues to be competitive for the major races.
There will, of course, be incentives to stay within racing. Dettori will be in demand as a TV broadcaster and it’s certain that roles are already being lined up. He lives with his family in close proximity to Newmarket which is, of course, the hub of horse racing in the UK. As a potential mentor to young jockeys, his experience would be invaluable.
There is a small question mark over definitive retirement plans, but this may well be Frankie Dettori’s last season as a jockey. Even if that is the case, he will remain an influential figure in horse racing for many years to come.
