Oct 12 (Reuters) – Italian jockey Frankie Dettori has made a U-turn on his plans to retire at the end of 2023, announcing on Thursday that he will continue his career in the United States.
The legend, who has ridden more than 3,300 winners and claimed three champion jockey titles, had said a year ago that 2023 would be his final season in the saddle as a professional.
The British-based jockey turns 53 in December and planned to bid farewell to British racing on Oct 21 at the British Champions Day at Ascot, the finale to the flat season. Rides in Melbourne and Hong Kong after that were expected to be his final ones.
“I’ve still got the fire inside me that I want to do it a little bit more,” Dettori told the BBC, adding that his wins this year, which included the 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks and Ebor during a farewell tour, have prompted a change of mind.
“I don’t feel ready to let go yet. I’m going to spend some time in the USA and take it from there. I could be there three months or three years, I don’t know. It was a long, hard decision with myself and my wife.”
Dettori famously won all seven races during one afternoon at Ascot in 1996, costing bookmakers millions of pounds in payouts.
He won the 2001 Singapore Gold Cup on Kutub and piloted Grandera to the 2002 Singapore Airlines International Cup.
Just ahead of European racing’s most prestigious race – the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – on Oct 1, he said he was saddened that he will no longer be riding.
Such is his allure that some of his fans had travelled far and wide to see him ride after he had announced his retirement, as he seemed like a rock star going on a season-long farewell tour.
The former landlady of his local pub in Newmarket came to Longchamp for his adieu recalling him jumping up and down on a chair many years ago cheering on his beloved football club Arsenal.
Another woman, who was almost blind, travelled 19 hours on a coach from Exeter to attend the Arc – the organisers let the doughty lady in for free.
But there will be more opportunities to catch Dettori in action now. Having ridden for 35 years, he said on Thursday he will also race in Dubai and Saudi Arabia while his goal is to find a horse for the Kentucky Derby. REUTERS, AFP
