Frankie Dettori picked up his 3,000th British victory after riding a double of wins at Newmarket.
The charismatic Italian jockey — famous for his flying dismounts — has become one of racing’s best-loved personalities.
The 45-year-old said he was “relieved and very humbled” after reaching the impressive milestone aboard the John Gosden-trained Predilection on Friday (12 August). His first win of the evening came courtesy of Ghayyar in the 6.35pm.
Having enjoyed his first triumph on British soil in 1987, Frankie has gone on to be crowned champion Flat jockey three times and has most of the major races under his belt. He has been victorious in each of the British Classics and the Derby at Epsom twice — in 2007 on Authorized and again in 2015 aboard Golden Horn.
“I said to Frankie a few weeks ago, he’d have ridden 6,000 winners if he wasn’t just a weekend and big-race jockey,” quipped 20-time champion jump jockey AP McCoy. “Frankie’s been riding winners in the UK for the best part of 30 years which is great to see. He’s a lively character which is good for British racing but more than that, he’s an incredible jockey.”
Frankie is the sixth Flat jockey to reach the historic landmark, following Sir Gordon Richards, Doug Smith, Lester Piggott, Pat Eddery and Willie Carson.
“Frankie is one of the best jockeys of the modern era and it is no surprise he has reached this landmark so few have achieved before him,” added Lester Piggott. “He is stylish and strong, but it is his tactical nous that sets him apart from others in the weighing room.
“He is a fantastic ambassador for racing, his enthusiasm and charisma has been drawing fans to the sport for years and hopefully we will see his infectious personality on racecourses for many more seasons to come.”
