I want to win it for the boss says Frankie
Rewilding only joined rookie trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni from Andre Fabre’s French stable after finishing second in the Group Two Prix Noailles at Longchamp in April.
He then burst on to the Derby scene with an emphatic victory at Goodwood last month.
No winner of the Goodwood trial has gone on to win the Derby since Troy in 1979, but the Rewilding team feel the Tiger Hill colt has plenty going for him.
“I’m delighted to be riding him. Andre (Fabre) thought a lot of him,” said Dettori.
“One thing is for sure, he stays and he’s very laid-back so he’s a nice horse to have for Epsom.
“The big question is, is he good enough? We won’t find out until the day, but I’m delighted to be on him and I’m looking forward to it.
“One thing I’d love to do is win the race for my boss.”
Al Zarooni is pinching himself at having a serious chance of winning the Derby at the first attempt.
“I’m very excited about having my first runner in the Derby, it is the race everyone wants to win so for me to have a runner in my first year as a trainer is fantastic,” he said.
“I think this horse has a lot going for him, he’s relaxed, he’s focused and he’s a professional.
“It’s the Derby so you can’t be confident, but I’ll be trying my best and we just need luck.”
Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford describes Rewilding as “bomb-proof”.
“He has a great temperament, is bomb-proof and stays a mile and a half and has plenty of class,” he said.
“Whether he has enough class to win the Derby, we’ll find out on the day, but he took Goodwood very well and handled the undulations.”
Al Zarooni also saddles French 2000 Guineas fourth Buzzword while Godolphin also have a sound third representative in the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Al Zir, the mount of Kieren Fallon.
“Al Zir was disappointing in the 2000 Guineas and we thought he had a great chance. Frankie felt the slow pace did not help, and he couldn’t get into a rhythm,” said Crisford.
“He ran OK but it wasn’t what he had hoped for. He definitely wants a longer trip, and it’s possible a mile and a half will be too far for him. A mile and a quarter is probably his optimum trip, but the Guineas was too short for him.”
The Chester Vase was won by the Mark Tompkins-trained Ted Spread and his enthusiastic trio of owners, who race under the name of the False Nose ‘N Glasses Partnership, cannot believe their luck.
“Winning at Chester was incredible – the best day ever – but being at Epsom with a Derby runner could top it,” said co-owner Ger Barrett.
“Just to see his name among the original 380 entries was a great feeling and now to be down to the final 12 is hard to believe.
“Being objective, he has to improve 12 to 14lb, but he is improving,” he added.
