John Gosden and Frankie Dettori celebrate Stradivarius' fourth Goodwood Cup

Saeed bin Suroor with Frankie Dettori

John Gosden leads tributes to Frankie Dettori

By Adam Morgan

Horse Racing

Sat December 17, 2022 · 3y ago

John Gosden paid tribute to his long-time jockey and friend Frankie Dettori following the announcement the 52-year-old will hang up his boots at the end of the 2023 season.

Dettori joined Gosden in 1993 and was champion jockey in both 1994 and 1995 during his first spell with the Newmarket-based handler.

However, it is since returning to Clarehaven for a second time and rejoining forces with his old boss that the Gosden/Dettori axis has found the most fame, with the pair synonymous with a conveyor belt of equine talent that has been housed at the famous Bury Road stable.

Gosden, who now trains in conjunction with his son Thady, believes it is important Dettori leaves the sport at the peak of his powers as he reflects on their long 30-year relationship and the “most amazing and extraordinary time together”.

He said: “Frankie and I discussed this whole matter last week in some depth and we’ve had a 30-year association together. It is essential that he goes out at the top. Being an elite athlete at any age is incredibly demanding, never mind at 52 years of age – it was his birthday this week.

“He has been riding for me since the early nineties. He came to me in 1993 and he was champion jockey in 1994 and 1995 which showed his amazing class and ability as both a jockey and an athlete. He then went to Godolphin after that and had a wonderful career with them.

“Things slightly went into a dip after that period and it was about 2013/14 that William Buick was our jockey here and he transferred to Godolphin and Frankie had left Godolphin some two or three years before then. But of course with William going there it created a vacancy for Frankie to come back.”

Since reuniting Gosden and Dettori have combined to win three Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe’s (Golden Horn 2015, Enable 2017 and 2018) and three Classics thanks to Golden Horn’s Derby success in 2015, Enable’s Oaks triumph in 2017 and Logician’s victory on Town Moor when landing the 2019 St Leger.

On the success, Gosden continued: “We’ve had since 2015 the most amazing and extraordinary time together, thanks mainly to all the wonderful horses we’ve had here and the owners who support our stable.

“But since then the list is endless of top-class Group One horses, Golden Horn, Stradivarius, Enable, Palace Pier – when you’re operating at that level there are some pretty amazing horses.

“So we’ve had a great run here and he had a good year last year. But I think there comes a time when a great rider like this needs to know when to hang up his boots.

“We’ve all seen footballers, boxers – anybody really – try to stay a bit too long at something and I think to get to 52 is an amazing achievement.

“I think he’ll go on this world tour now starting off in California and winding up in California at the end of the year in November and that’s what he wants to do, to be riding all over the place, but obviously based out of England.”

And Gosden has given his nod of approval to Dettori’s exit plan – thrilled to have played his part in the journey and acknowledging the need to go out on a high.

“I think it is the right way to do it, to do it stylishly and to top a great career,” he said. “I’m just pleased that I’ve been there when he needed me in 1993 and then again when he needed me in 2014/15.

“He started off as an apprentice with Luca Cumani, then was champion jockey with me in the early nineties and then we’ve been together for the past seven years, so it is great and very important to go out at the top.

“We’re good friends and on the whole we get along very well. Like anything, there are challenging times like there are in any relationship, but overall we’ve had an incredibly smooth journey. When he has come back as our jockey over the 30-year period, and what a career he has had, it has been quite extraordinary.

“He and Ryan Moore are the two great international jockeys that can ride anywhere in the world and I hope he can enjoy the places he is hoping to ride at and say goodbye to.”

When asked to pick one day that sticks most in the memory, a highlight and time Dettori was at his real best, there was no hesitation in picking out the Italian’s winning ride on Golden Horn from stall 14 in the 2015 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

He said: “I think 2015, Golden Horn, the Arc. We planned it. We walked the track together before and he said he was going to do that and I said you’ve got my blessing and it was an extraordinary ride because he basically rode a race on his own for the first three furlongs way out on the outside. It was a masterclass in how to overcome an impossible draw.”

O’Brien hails ‘incredible’ Dettori

Aidan O’Brien hailed Dettori “a brilliant rider”, as leading figures reacted to the news of the Italian’s decision to retire at the end of next year.

Having spent a large part of his career as first jockey to Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation, Dettori has in the most part been in direct opposition with O’Brien and the Coolmore team.

With that in mind the pair may seem an unlikely alliance, but they have combined for a handful of significant big wins over the years, including three British Classic triumphs.

The first of those came in the 2005 St Leger with Scorpion, while the other two were achieved just last year, with Mother Earth landing the 1000 Guineas and Snowfall trouncing her rivals in the Oaks.

O’Brien not only paid tribute to Dettori’s talent in the saddle but his impact on the sport as a whole.

“Frankie is a brilliant rider and we had some great days together,” the Ballydoyle handler said.

“He gave his all and for him to be riding at that level for so long is really incredible.

“He is an incredible rider and has given so much to the whole sport – it’s unbelievable.

“We were lucky he rode so much for us, I suppose.”

Dettori spoke little English when first touching down in Britain as a teenager, at which time fellow Italian and leading trainer Luca Cumani took him under his wing.

Cumani provided the jockey with his first win in Britain aboard Lizzy Hare at Goodwood in 1987 and they also enjoyed other major wins together, most notably with Markofdistinction in the Queen Anne Stakes and QEII in 1990.

Of Dettori’s announcement, Cumani said: “It is sad. We all knew this day would come, but it is sad to know it is now – especially as he is riding in such a beautiful way still.

“You just take it for granted that a talent like his would be around forever, but unfortunately it is not to be and he goes out on his own choosing. So it is sad, but I am glad for him that he has been able to make his own decision.

“What makes him so good is first of all his love for the horse and love for racing. Secondly his balance and his way of getting horses to do what he wants them to do – his ability to transmit his will to win through the reins and into the brain of the horses.

“I’m obviously very proud as he was like a child to me at the beginning and so I’m very proud of all of his successes and the great things he has done in his life within racing.

“We’ve had some fantastic times together and it’s sad because it is an end of an era, but it is an era which he has filled with his presence and with great skill.”

Johnny Murtagh spent much of his time riding against Dettori and the pair have become close friends.

Murtagh told ITV Racing: “I love the guy, I think what he has done for racing is unbelievable – he’s brought it to the next level.

“I’ve ridden against him for years. The first time I rode against him was in 1989 and we went on a trip together to Japan and he was special then – he was different.

“The balance he had, great style, strong on the left, strong on the right and just a brilliant, brilliant jockey.

“And outside of that he is just a brilliant man, he’s a very warm and fun guy to be around, everyone loves him and it’s the end of an era. Racing has been very good to him, but he has been very good to racing.”

Sir Anthony McCoy retired in 2015 after being crowned champion jump jockey 20 times.

He said: “The hardest thing as a sportsman is knowing when to say stop.

“It’s about beating the clock and Frankie is beating the clock. He is racing’s Lionel Messi. You can’t teach a kid to ride like Frankie Dettori.”

William Buick was crowned champion Flat jockey for the first time this year and currently has the top job at Godolphin in Britain.

Buick admits he has idolised Dettori for years, telling Sky Sports Racing: “I’ve told Frankie this, but when I grew up in Norway I had a picture on my wall of him winning on Dubai Millennium at Ascot.

“Frankie was always a god – he was the one I always looked up to and never really thought about being able to compete with.

“I eventually started working for Andrew and Ian Balding and they always said ‘everything you do, just watch what Frankie does, how effortless he is and how natural he is on a horse’. That’s for everyone to see.

“I’m very privileged to say I’ve shared a weighing room with him in most parts of the world and I’m also privileged to say he’s become a very good friend since I started riding.

“When I first moved to Newmarket to start riding for John Gosden in 2010, Frankie was always there as a great sounding board for me so I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Gosden: Frankie is bowing out the right way

John Gosden paid tribute to his long-time jockey and friend Frankie Dettori following the announcement the 52-year-old will hang up his boots at the end of the 2023 season.

Dettori joined Gosden in 1993 and was champion jockey in both 1994 and 1995 during his first spell with the Newmarket-based handler.

“He has been riding for me since the early nineties. He came to me in 1993 and he was champion jockey in 1994 and 1995 which showed his amazing class and ability as both a jockey and an athlete.

“He then went to Godolphin after that and had a wonderful career with them.

John Gosden and Frankie Dettori celebrate Stradivarius' fourth Goodwood Cup

“But since then the list is endless of top-class Group One horses, Golden Horn, Stradivarius, Enable, Palace Pier – when you’re operating at that level there are some pretty amazing horses.

“So we’ve had a great run here and he had a good year last year. But I think there comes a time when a great rider like this needs to know when to hang up his boots.

“We’ve all seen footballers, boxers – anybody really – try to stay a bit too long at something and I think to get to 52 is an amazing achievement.

And Gosden has given his nod of approval to Dettori’s exit plan – thrilled to have played his part in the journey and acknowledging the need to go out on a high.

“I think it is the right way to do it, to do it stylishly and to top a great career,” he said.

“I’m just pleased that I’ve been there when he needed me in 1993 and then again when he needed me in 2014/15.

“He and Ryan Moore are the two great international jockeys that can ride anywhere in the world and I hope he can enjoy the places he is hoping to ride at and say goodbye to.”

He said: “I think 2015, Golden Horn, the Arc. We planned it.

“We walked the track together before and he said he was going to do that and I said you’ve got my blessing and it was an extraordinary ride because he basically rode a race on his own for the first three furlongs way out on the outside.

“It was a masterclass in how to overcome an impossible draw.”

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