David Ord sets the scene for the 2023 Betfred Derby as Frankie Dettori prepares to bid farewell to the Epsom Classic.
There are few signs of Frankie Dettori going gentle into that good night.
As farewell tours go this is up there with the best and the fact we know this is his last ride on the merry-go-round means we can celebrate each landmark.
On Friday he signed off from the Dahlbury Coronation Cup and Betfred Oaks with victory aboard Emily Upjohn and Soul Sister respectively and while the Darley July Cup, the one domestic Group One missing from his CV, might be top of the 2023 bucketlist, another Betfred Derby winner won't be far behind.
Flat racing’s blue riband, the ultimate test of a three-year-old thoroughbred colt, is a race that eluded the rider so long.
Even during Godolphin's first golden era, with the Italian their retained jockey and figurehead, it proved impossible to win. In the end it took him 15 attempts before Authorized thrust clear inside the final two furlongs of the 2007 renewal to remove the monkey from his back. He's only won it once more since, aboard Golden Horn in 2015.
“It was a nightmare every time we came to the Derby. When I won it in 2007 it was full of relief because it felt like the last piece of the jigsaw, but the build-up was always a nightmare to be honest. It was big with Authorized because he was a big favourite from three weeks prior to the Derby. I think he was a 5/4 favourite, so there was a lot on me and it was a big relief,” he admits.
“Golden Horn was a different thing because I really got to enjoy it. I was older and my kids were all there, so it was special. With all the pressure on me trying to win it for the first time with Authorized, that was a lot more enjoyable. Probably my biggest thrill in one single race was winning the Derby with Golden Horn.”
Others have dominated the Derby to a much greater extent during their careers. The late Lester Piggott will forever be the king of Epsom – but Dettori's shadow is so great over this sport that he was the go-to man when racing needed to fight it’s corner this race-week.
There was only person to turn to for the BBC News, Radio 2 and various media interviews. As Animal Rising again take aim at one of the sport’s big days – he’s our first line of defence in the PR war. Safe, charming and engaging. We’ll miss him when he's gone.
What are the chances of a winning farewell?
Maybe there’s one final hurrah to come too. Forget talks of protests, the potential reincarnation of Auguste Rodin, or this being the most open running of the Classic for many years. The one story that would squeeze the race onto the Saturday evening news bulletins and back pages of the newspapers for all the right reasons is victory for Dettori aboard Arrest.
The rider insists this is a free-hit, a bonus final chance to win the Derby. But his partner, a son of the great Frankel, was a wide-margin winner of the Chester Vase. And after the jockey's Friday heroics he's favourite too. So there’s pressure.
“When I said that I was going to retire in December, I never thought I’d be able to ride a horse with a great chance of winning the Derby, so it’s a great position to be in and one I didn’t expect,” smiled the rider.
“This horse has filled out well and improved throughout the spring. He won his trial very well, even if it was a non-event in that ground. We know that the distance is no problem and he’s full of himself.
“It looks a wide-open Derby and I would say that I’ve got as good of a chance as anyone. I wouldn’t like to swap with anyone else because I feel like I’m going in there with as good a chance as anyone.
“I’ll be honest with you, I never thought I’d be in a position to say that I have a chance of winning it. I thought that with it being my last year I’d find it hard to find a ride, never mind a ride on a horse with a chance, so it’s surprised me that I’m in this position. I’m very excited.”
Excited but relaxed, relishing the opportunity, not fearing it. That’s Dettori in 2023.
“I’m so chilled. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s because I’ve got nothing to prove but I feel very chilled and I’m embracing it. I’m super relaxed. Surprisingly I thought I would be the opposite, but I’m really enjoying it. When I get to October it will be a different kettle of fish and the last few days will be difficult, but for now I feel good,” he said.
If Arrest is to win the Derby he’ll become the first horse since Kahyasi in 1988 to do so from stall 13. Again that won’t be keeping his rider awake.
“I’m happy with the draw (in stall 13). A lot of emphasis has been put on it but they’re winning from everywhere. The thing is, to win the Derby you need a good horse, it’s as simple as that and the draw makes no difference. You can think too much about the draw. You’ve just got to get on with it. It is what it is, and I dealt with it with Golden Horn in the Arc, so I’m not going to cry much about this one."
You only get once chance in a Derby
Maybe not – and while tears of joy on Saturday are a distinct possibility the most experienced gunslinger in town knows this is a one-shot opportunity.
“The problem with the Derby is that it’s once a year and once it has gone it has gone. With Royal Ascot there are 35 races, so if you mess up one of them you’ve at least got four or five for the rest of the afternoon," he added.
“The Derby is the most important race (in the world). We have been breeding thoroughbreds for 350 years to win the Derby and for a jockey when you start you want to win the Derby. For trainers, owners and breeders the Derby is the race and it’s why we breed thoroughbreds – to win that race. The tradition has been going for hundreds of years and it will continue.
“We all grow up watching the Derby. It means so much and it’s the same this year.”
It won’t be the next time it's run in 2024 – not without Dettori’s name on the racecard.
One more shot for Frankie then – one more chance to enjoy his talents on an afternoon that means more to him than any other and a potential seminal moment not only his career and farewell season, but the rich 243-year history of the Derby.
Also available on the 2023 Derby...
- Sky Bet paying 5 places instead of 3 on the Derby
- Betfred Derby: Big-race preview
- Ben Linfoot's Verdict
- Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet
- Lucky 15: Saturday's multiple selections
- How strong is the Irish challenge? Fran Berry and Billy Nash have their say
- Betfred Derby: The definitive pedigree guide
- Alex Hammond blog and tips
- Frankie Dettori and 30 years of Derby drama
- Timeform Epsom course guide and statistics
- Epsom preview Podcast
