Frankie Dettori

The Italian superstar reveals all to Jennifer Donald about his retirement change of mind, early jungle exit and why he will miss the British public the most

- Jennifer Donald

NOBODY expected effervescent jockey Frankie Dettori to slope off into retirement quietly, but announcing a complete U-turn on his decision to hang up his silks certainly caught the world by surprise.

“I’m simply not ready,” he told us, and who can blame him?

During his well-publicised farewell tour of 2023, he won the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean, the Oaks with Soul Sister, the Ascot Gold Cup on Courage Mon Ami and a winning double on Champions Day in October brought down the final curtain on his British racing career. Reaching his 50s has clearly not weathered any of the Italian’s natural brilliance in the saddle and if anything, the past 12 months marked something of a resurgence in the Italian-born jockey’s fortunes.

A crescendo of adoration followed him at every racecourse as he unveiled statues and other tributes, fans jostling for one last piece of their hero. It is the British public that the celebrated three-time champion jockey says he will miss most, now that the final chapter of an extraordinary career has taken him to the US.

“It took me 30 years to create this amazing fan base and it’s selfish but every time I ride, all I hear is my name,” he says. “That might annoy my colleagues a bit, but I’ll miss the charm of, ‘Go on, Frankie!’

“When I announced I was going to retire in December 2022, I expected things to slow down, but it went the other way. I just kept on winning – it was crazy and emotional. In the summer I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’ve only got two months to go and I’m not ready to stop.’