D-Day for Dettori
The Italian tested positive for a prohibited substance at Longchamp on September 16, and last month the medical commission of the French racing authority passed its findings to the stewards for their consideration.
Dettori was temporarily suspended from riding in France with immediate effect on medical grounds, and his solicitor, Christopher Stewart-Moore, issued a statement saying the 41-year-old accepted their conclusions “without reservation”.
The jockey had four rides at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe trials meeting on September 16, after which the sample was returned. Dettori made the headlines in October when his 18-year association with powerful owners Godolphin came to an end, with the three-times champion jockey planning to ride as a freelance in 2013.
Perhaps the most recognisable face in British racing, Dettori’s finest day in the saddle came at Ascot in 1996 when he went through the card, riding all seven winners – a feat tagged ‘The Magnificent Seven’.
