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‘I’m both happy and sad’: Frankie Dettori secures popular Royal Ascot victory during his final season as a jockey

Gemma Redrup Gemma Redrup

    • Frankie Dettori has triumphed at this year’s Royal Ascot, in what will be his final appearance at the meeting owing to his impending retirement at the end of 2023.

    Riding Gregory, who is trained by father and son duo John and Thady Gosden, and owned by Wathnan Racing, Frankie scooped the Group Two Queen’s Vase race by one-and-a-half lengths today (21 June).

    “I thought this winner was never going to come this year,” said Frankie, referring to the fact that this was his 13th ride of the meeting and he hit the bar on day one yesterday riding three second-placed horses, but no winners. “I thought this horse was my best chance and he really stuck his neck out. To ride a winner at my last Ascot is fantastic.”

    Frankie’s career has been a stellar one and remarkably, his win on Gregory today was his 78th Royal Ascot victory, some 33 years after his first aboard Markofdistinction, trained by Luca Cumani, in the Queen Anne Stakes in 1990.

    “I’ve had an amazing reaction from the crowd at this meeting,” explained Frankie Dettori. “I’m both sad and happy, but at least I’ve got a few more days to come yet.”

    Thady Gosden said that Gregory, who is by Golden Horn and out of a Galileo mare, has been a bit of a “slow learner” but that he “got the job done today”.

    Frankie Dettori’s frustrating first day at Royal Ascot ended with the stewards handing him a nine-day ban for careless riding when he was deemed to have caused significant interference to multiple horses in the Wolferton Stakes aboard fifth-place finisher Saga. The ban means Dettori will be unable to ride between 4 and 12 July, but he revealed to ITV Racing’s Opening Show that he intended to appeal the ban.

    Don’t miss the full report from Royal Ascot 2023 in the 29 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine, plus we will be bringing you all of the top stories from the meeting as and when they happen on horseandhound.co.uk

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    Gemma Redrup
    Gemma Redrup

    H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor
    Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
    Gemma Redrup

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