Dettori joyous after getting off mark at final Royal Ascot

Frankie Dettori was once again the toast of Royal Ascot, as the magical Italian secured the first winner of his final week at the showpiece meeting courtesy of Gregory in the Queen’s Vase.

The 52-year-old announced in December that 2023 would be his last year in the saddle and on so many occasions he has stolen the show at the summer spectacular.

But the opening day was a frustrating one for the veteran rider as not only did he have to make do with the runner-up spot in three races, he also picked up a nine-day suspension for careless riding.

But the betting suggested John and Thady Gosden’s dual winner Gregory would get him off the mark on day two, with punters ensuring he went off an even-money favourite, and Dettori delivered a brilliantly-judged ride from the front to send the packed grandstands wild.

Just for a moment it looked like Gregory could be picked off by Saint George when challenged in the closing stages, but the son of Golden Horn found more for pressure and was ultimately well on top as he passed the post with a length and a half in hand, giving his rider a 78th Royal Ascot success.

“You get to the second-last on day two and you start to think . . . ” he said. “I’ve had a few favourites and three seconds. I knew this horse was good enough, but I wasn’t so sure about his experience.

“He is very laid-back at home and I thought if he doesn’t jump he will get lost, but he jumped great, I got him to the front and I knew he would stay very well.”

He might even have found a St Leger candidate to add an extra layer of gold dust to a CV that is already bursting at the seams.

“He was like a sleeping giant in the yard, and all of a sudden he’s a Royal Ascot winner,” he said. “Potentially he could be a nice St Leger horse for the end of the season, but John and Thady Gosden will work something out.

“It’s great, my family is here, it’s the only day they are all here, so to ride a winner is great. Ascot very kindly gave me a box for my family today and most of them are here, so I’m glad I could ride a winner in front of them.

“Now I’m chasing 80 (Royal Ascot winners), so I need two more.”

Asked whether he got a great reception, he said: “Yeah I did – of course, an even-money favourite with me on, of course you’re going to get a big reception! It was good and I’m pleased. I hope everyone was on.”

There may still be an appeal to the nine-day suspension, with Dettori taking legal advice before making a decision.

He said: “I’ve got my lawyers looking at it, I’m sad I’m missing Emily (Upjohn, favourite for the Coral-Eclipse) but it’s one of those things.

“I’m glad nobody got hurt or fell. My lawyer is looking at it, it’s that point of the race where you go into a bottleneck, the false rail is out, we all got together. If there is room to appeal, we will, but I’m not going to do it just to waste anybody’s time.”

Gosden senior said of his completely unexposed winner, who is now favourite for the St Leger: “That was a dominant display, he broke well, Frankie got a good position and then he was able to control the pace. When the second came to him he’s gone away again.

“He’s a class horse, we’re aiming for the St Leger and I told the owners before. All being well, touch wood, he might be a Cup horse next season.

“He’ll need to run somewhere before the Leger, so he’ll go in one of the trials. I trained the father (Golden Horn) and the mother (Gretchen), so I know the family very well.”

He added: “It’s absolutely great, Frankie won it in the first furlong because he got him out and got the position. That bend comes very quickly.

“The owners, Wathnan Racing, are new to the yard and that is only their second ever runner at Royal Ascot, so it’s not a bad way to start.”