Dettori returns to Dubai despite fiscal woes
Michael Lee
Financial woes have not deterred Frankie Dettori from packing his boots to another big racing venue on the global stage.
The colourful Italian jockey is set to return to the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan on April 5, his first overseas raid since he filed for bankruptcy in UK two weeks ago.
The now US-based 54-year-old will take two rides for American trainer Doug O'Neill, the pick of the pair being Raging Torrent in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile (1,600m).
He also rides in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2,000m), a race where he will try to break his own record of four wins - Dubai Millennium (2000), Moon Ballad (2003), Electrocutionist (2006) and Country Grammer (2022) - though he faces an uphill task on outsider Mixto.
Dettori is arguably the world's most recognised jockey, even to non-racing fans, skyrocketing to fame during his 35 years in his adopted England, where he won three champion jockey titles and recorded 287 Group 1 wins.
His biggest claim to fame was winning all seven races at Ascot on Sept 28, 1996.
After retiring in 2023, he changed his mind and resurrected his riding career in California.
With his return to Dubai, a happy hunting ground for him, especially during his retainer as Godolphin's stable jockey, Dettori is sending a clear signal he is still as competitive as ever even after getting caught by the long arm of fiscal law.
O'Neill for one was stoked to be the beneficiary twofold.
"Having Frankie in the saddle, arguably one of the best of all time, it's a great asset," said the two-time Kentucky Derby winner.
"He knows him well, he's worked him and won on him so it's definitely a big plus."
Partnered by fellow Italian jockey Antonio Fresu for most of his career, Raging Torrent won the last of his five wins with Dettori up - in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes (1,400m) at Santa Anita on Boxing Day in 2024.
The Maximus Mischief colt will bid to give O'Neill a third Godolphin Mile, following the successes of Spring At Last in 2007 and Two Rivers Over in 2024.
manyan@sph.com.sg
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