Palace Pier is the best miler I've ridden, says Dettori

Frankie Dettori hailed Palace Pier as the best miler he has ridden after the colty narrowly denied Poetic Flare to to claim back-to-back victories in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

Defeated only once in nine previous career starts, Palace Pier was favourite to make it four from four for the season under Frankie Dettori, having missed last month’s Sussex Stakes at Goodwood following unsatisfactory blood test results.

Always travelling strongly, John and Thady Gosden’s stable star moved smoothly into contention on the outside of the field, with Jim Bolger’s 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes hero Poetic Flare delivering his challenge close to the stands’ rail.

In receipt of 6lb from his older rival, Sussex Stakes runner-up Poetic Flare did his best to claw back Palace Pier inside the last half-furlong, but Dettori’s mount was always doing enough to hold him at bay.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Order Of Australia finished third to make it a clean sweep for the visiting party.

"I love the horse - he's the best miler I've rode," Dettori enthued. "He's beautiful and he's got everything - pace, a turn of foot and goes on any ground.

"We were rushing to get him here today. He's missed a bunch of work and we got him here on 80 per cent.

"He's just so good and got away with it."

He added: "I kept an eye on Kevin (Manning, on Poetic Flare) and when he kicked I went after him. I basically raced on my own for the last 200 metres and passed him good, but Kevin came back and fought back.

"Like I said he (Palace Pier) is so good and just keeps on doing it.

"Apart from losing a shoe and getting a bad start in the QEII last year, he's done nothing wrong.

"He's a joy to ride and a joy to be around."

John Gosden told Sky Sports Racing: "I thought it was very clean race. They went a pretty sensible pace, with Order Of Australia controlling it and he's finished third, so it was not a race to be sitting out the back.

"We were second-last and they quickened and quickened. To that extent it was a bit of a test of speed.

"He's done it well. I've made no secret of the fact he was ill with a blood disorder and missed the Sussex.

"I've come here on the absolute minimum of work - he's probably come here at 80 per cent.

"As Frankie said, his class got him through, but he's having a pretty strong blow. I was 10 days short for this race, but they weren't going to move the Jacques le Marois!"

Paddy Power cut Palace Pier to 7-4 from 2-1 for Ascot's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, a race in which he finished third last term.

Gosden confirmed his charge will head straight for Champions Day in October, but raised the Qipco Champion Stakes as a potential alternative to the QEII.

He added: "He's a gorgeous horse and a lovely horse to be around. He's got this amazing cruising speed and acceleration, (but) I wouldn't be frightened of stepping him up to a mile and a quarter.

"I think we'll wait for Champions Day. When you run a horse like this, don't come back too quick, so we'll wait for Champions Day and possibly run over a mile or even a mile and a quarter."

When asked if Palace Pier could run in the Breeders' Cup Mile in November, Gosden said: "That's a long way off. Del Mar is a track I'm very fond of, I've had a lot of success there and a lot of good friends there, but that's a long way down the road at the moment."

Free Wind completed a big-race double for the Gosden-Dettori combination with an impressive display in the Prix Minerve.

Just over an hour after stable star Palace Pier had successfully defended his crown in the Prix Jacques le Marois, Free Wind was an 11-2 chance to bag Group Three honours over an extended mile and a half.

Runner-up in a Listed event at Newmarket on her latest appearance, the daughter of Galileo raised her game to go one better in some style under Frankie Dettori, proving a length and a half too strong for Andre Fabre’s 11-8 favourite Burgarita.

Thady Gosden, who trains Free Wind in partnership with his father John, said: “She’s a filly that tries her heart out every time and she’s progressed well through the year. She was obviously second in a Listed race at Newmarket over a mile and a half last time and she’s improved again today.

“She stays a mile and a half well and we definitely wouldn’t be afraid of stepping her up to a mile and six (furlongs) later on in the year.

“There’s races back here over a mile and a half and one at the end of the year over a mile and six, so we’ll speak to Mr Strawbridge (owner) and see what he wants to do.

“Frankie gave her a brilliant ride, as he did in the last race. He’s in flying form, which always helps.”

Earlier in the afternoon Oneforthegutter came close to claiming the Group Three Circus Maximus Francois Boutin Stakes for Ian Williams and William Buick, but was beaten a head by Who Knows.