Dettori and McManus join in the tributes to Aidan O’Brien

Frankie Dettori often took the centre stage at Royal Ascot, but the great Italian jockey who had such an affinity with racing’s most regal week was left in awe as Aidan O’Brien brought up 100 winners at the meeting in a Gold Cup for the ages.

The 55-year-old enjoyed success 81 times at the Royal fixture but having watched the tenacious Trawlerman – one of Dettori’s final winners in Britain at this very track on Champions Day in 2023 – go down valiantly as Scandinavia struck late on, he could do little but puff out his cheeks and acknowledge the phenomenal feat of the first trainer to reach a century of Royal Ascot winners.

Dettori told the Press Association: “One hundred Royal Ascot winners, amazing, what an achievement for Aidan.

“To do it in such a great horse race featuring two great horses, my old friend Trawlerman, what a race it was to watch.

“Huge congratulations to Aidan and he has Ryan (Moore) there as well – he’s riding out of his skin.”

The man who has surpassed Dettori and is now bearing down on his own century having partnered over half of O’Brien’s 100 is the aforementioned Ryan Moore and after delivering a power-packed ride aboard the big-race favourite he was in no doubt about his boss’ standing in the pantheon of all-time greats.

Moore said: “I’m very fortunate to ride for someone who is probably the greatest trainer anyone is ever going to see.

“It was a fitting race to get the 100 in, of course, but Aidan will be thinking about the next 100 now. I’m sure he’ll be delighted it’s done.”

Waiting to greet both Moore and O’Brien in the winner’s enclosure was JP McManus, more accustomed to Gold Cups in March than June but the man who entrusted a young O’Brien with his great triple Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq.

O’Brien, 56, may have been in the infancy of his three decades at Ballydoyle at the time, but McManus had no doubts about his gift with the thoroughbred.

McManus said: “It’s special and he’s 100 not out. He’s some man and he deserves all the success he gets.

“He was green fingered and a great talent and he was given a great opportunity. I always knew he was very talented.”

There have been 29 years between Harbour Master getting O’Brien off the mark in the 1997 Coventry and a record-extending 10th Gold Cup, and by the trainer’s side at every step has been wife Anne-Marie, soaking in every second of yet another memorable moment for her husband and family.

“It’s incredible and he’ll be looking for 101 in the very next race, that’s what he’s like,” she said.

“It’s an incredible moment and you couldn’t dream that he would have this level of success at such an amazing meeting.

“You couldn’t write the way he has gone and done it. To bring the 100 up in such a dramatic race which was great to watch. It was a terrific horse race and Scandinavia was so tough.”

It is O’Brien’s first-ever Derby winner Galileo whose legacy has been seen throughout many of his great days, not just at the Royal meeting but across the globe in a truly glittering career.

However, the hunt for the next century of winners could be led by Justify, a horse that has already produced a Derby winner of his own in City Of Troy and now a Gold Cup victor.

MV Magnier, son of Coolmore founder John Magnier, said: “Aidan is such a down to earth fellow who works very hard and he deserves every success he gets.

“It’s an incredible achievement and I know what it will mean to dad to not only see Aidan get 100 winners but to see Justify have the first and second in the Chesham and then a Gold Cup winner and for him to do both in an hour is incredible.

“Bob Baffert said to us he really believed this horse would change the breed and for him to be doing what he’s doing, we’re very lucky to have him.”