21 October 2023 , 13:51
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Frankie Dettori was hailed the greatest jockey ever after giving the crowds what they came for by winning the first race at Ascot on his final day in the saddle in Britain.
The superstar jockey, who is relocating to California after doing a U-turn on his retirement plans, lifted the roof off the grandstand with a thrilling victory on Trawlerman in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
The first of five rides, Trawlerman was one of the least fancied of his mounts yet he produced a career best to defeat hot favourtite Kyprios by a neck.
Trawlerman was left in front turning for home and looked beaten once collared by Kyprios but the Godolphin stayer battled back and took the spoils in the shadow of the winning post, to rapturous cheers from the stands.
“It was nuts!” Dettori told ITV Racing. “Honestly.. Once he got back the crowd went crazy. I could hear it. What a race!”
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He continued : “When Ryan came to me I thought ‘I’m a spent force’, but once he didn’t get away from me I thought he might have a little bit left.
“It’s amazing on my final day beating one of the best jockeys in the world. Now I can do the flying dismount.”
The 52-year-old Dettori was riding his 3,366th winner in Britain where he has been based for 37 years.
For much of that time winning trainer John Gosden has been Dettori’s staunchest ally.
“When he’s at his peak, there’s no greater,” he said “He lets the crowd carry him. He operates very much on that
“He has enormous energy, fabulous talent but Alex Ferguson would have found him difficult to manage at times as well.
“Without doubt he is the most phenomenal jockey I’ve ever put on a horse. Pound for pound the greatest and I’ve been lucky to put up a lot of great jockeys down the years.”