Frankie Dettori provided one of the biggest backstories to the 2023 flat season, with his looming retirement adding a layer of excitement to the UK’s major meetings. Of course, in the end, Frankie didn’t retire. However, he did call time on his UK riding career – heading across the Atlantic to tackle the US racing scene.
To no great surprise, the 53-year-old has made a huge success of life in the US, picking up eight Graded wins since January – headlined by the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland.
Will Frankie Ever Return to the UK?
No sooner had Dettori made the stateside switch than speculation began as to whether we would ever see the most popular jockey of his generation ride in the UK again. Punters, bookmakers, and fellow riders were in general agreement that Dettori was unlikely to be sighted at the lower key meetings, but would he be able to resist the allure of Royal Ascot?
Initially, most expected that Frankie would appear at the 2024 fixture, with the evergreen Italian priced at a general 6/4 to not only ride but ride a winner at this year’s meeting. That anticipation appears to have cooled in the interim, making it ever more likely that Dettori’s four-winner 2023 Royal Ascot – headlined by the success of Courage Mon Ami in the Gold Cup – may be the last time we would see Dettori riding at the track with which he is most associated. But then again, maybe not…
Frankie Will be in Attendance
Just as the rumour mill appeared to be running out of steam, Frankie has provided a little impetus with the announcement that he will, in fact, be at Royal Ascot 2024, although all associated with the rider suggest he will not be riding at the meeting. So what will he be doing?
With Sky and ITV pouring cold water on the suggestion Dettori will be donning his punditry hat, it appears that Dettori’s activities will centre around a swanky hospitality offering in the Royal Enclosure, as part of a joint venture with chef Francesco Mazzei.
One Last Hurrah?
One thing Frankie’s extensive career has taught us is to expect the unexpected. Aside from the will he/won’t he retire tale of 2023, Frankie has rarely stuck to the traditional path of a jockey, peppering his illustrious career with appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, in addition to launching a chain of restaurants and a line of frozen foods. Can he resist the allure of the limelight at the scene of the 1996 Magnificent Seven and numerous Group 1 victories?
Whether Dettori wishes to ride at the meeting, only he knows, but no doubt punters would prefer to see the super fit rider entering the starting stalls rather than dishing out canapes. The main issue could be obtaining a ride; it’s not something Dettori has had to deal with too often in his career, but Kieran Shoemark is now installed as the number one at the Gosden yard, and Rossa Ryan appears to have forged a successful partnership with one of Dettori’s favourite horses, Kinross. That said, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and should Dettori decide he would like to ride after all, it’s hard to imagine him missing out.