July Cup misery: Dettori will be left to rue the one that got away

It’s a well-known fact that Frankie Dettori has never ridden a July Cup winner. But that’s not strictly true. He’s ridden at least three, but just not when they scorched home at Newmarket.

Dettori had partnered Frizzante and Les Arcs at least once before their respective victories in the summer showpiece, in 2004 and 2006, and then there was Fleeting Spirit, a leading fancy in 2010 to retain the crown she had won under Tom Queally 12 months earlier.

But Fleeting Spirit's day in the Suffolk sun had come and gone. She finished fifth and her dejected rider’s elusive quest went on. And on. And on.

Today, 33 years after first riding in the race as a teenager, the now 52-year-old was hoping he would have one final attempt to put the record straight and scoop the only British Group One contest to have eluded him.

But the jigsaw will forever be uncompleted as Dettori, who will retire at the end of the year, is serving a suspension.

He was set to ride the Ralph Beckett-trained Kinross, and must be fearing the worst after rain on Friday turned the ground in the gelding's favour.

The Pertemps Network July Cup takes little more than 70 seconds to run but it has taunted Dettori for more than three decades. It’s the one that has always got away, to the gnawing discontent of a global superstar who lives ten minutes from the course.

Dettori has resembled a bingo player craving the one missing number on his card yet to be called. He’s ticked off all the other 35 domestic Group Ones but the full house has remained tantalisingly out of his reach. And now, bar reversing his decision to retire, his chance of shouting "Bingo!" has evaporated.

Would he swap one of his seven wins in the Fillies’ Mile or nine Gold Cup victories for a July Cup on his decorated CV? In a heartbeat. He’d probably be hard pressed to even name them all.

Dettori’s first spin in the race came in 1990, when he finished down the field, but he went much closer when fourth on the unlucky-in-running Elbio two years later. The winner that day was Mr Brooks, providing Lester Piggott with a record-extending tenth victory in the race. Ten, Frankie. Ten!

Dettori didn’t have The Long Fellow to worry about in too many more renewals but The Long Wait for a flying dismount had only just begun.

He and Catrail were beaten under a length when third in 1994 and three second-placed finishes – aboard Iffraaj (2006), Advertise (2019) and Sceptical (2020) – were to follow. Iffraaj was beaten a head; the closest Dettori has ever come to winning.

There has been no Magical Memory (finished seventh on him in 2016) and Dettori might even describe his record in the race as Diabolical (sixth on him in 2008).

Fourteen of his 23 rides in the race went off at single-figure odds, and he twice trailed home on the final finisher.

There was still time. Still hope. Still a chance of eyes down for a full house.

But not any more. The July Cup will always be the one that got away. And if Kinross prevails, those at the course may just hear a cry of anguish from nearby.

1990 LUGANA BEACH – 7TH AT 33/1

91 --

92 ELBIO – 4TH AT 9/1

93 --

94 CATRAIL – 3RD AT 7/2

95 HEART LAKE – LAST OF 9 at 15/2

96 --

97 BAHAMIAN BOUNTY – 4TH AT 9/2

98 KAHAL – 11TH AT 10/1

99 --

2000 --

01 THREE POINTS 4TH AT 9/2

02 THREE POINTS 6TH AT 8/1

03 MEMBERSHIPS 13TH AT 16/1

04 KHELEYF 14TH AT 8/1

05 --

06 IFFRAAJ – SECOND AT 11/2

07 --

08 DIABOLICAL 6TH AT 33/1

09 ANCIEN REGIME LAST OF 13 AT 25/1

2010 – FLEETING SPIRIT 5TH AT 7/2

11 – DELEGATOR 5TH AT 11/2

12 – SEPOY 11TH AT 9/2

13 – HAVELOCK – LAST OF 11 AT 50/1

14 – UNDRAFTED 4TH AT 25/1

15 – DANZENO 5TH AT 12/1

16 – MAGICAL MEMORY 7TH AT 5/1

17 --

18 --

19 ADVERTISE 2ND AT 9/2

2020 SCEPTICAL 2ND AT 18/5

21 EXTRAVAGANT KID 14TH AT 25/1

22 --

23 ???