Dettori extends championship lead
Frankie Dettori strengthened his grip on the jockeys’ championship when a 14-1 double took his seasonal total to 171 at Windsor today.
The popular Italian took advantage of Kieren Fallon’s one-day suspension to stretch his lead over the reigning champion to eight.
Dettori initiated his brace when he made the most of a rare ride for Mark Johnston to get 3-1 favourite Hanseatic League home in the EBF Maiden Stakes.
He doubled up half an hour later when Con Horgan’s Belle Rouge (11-4) obliged in the Morelli Classified Stakes.
But Dettori could potentially suffer a damaging blow to his title hopes later in the month as he is due to ride at both the Breeders’ Cup and Melbourne Cup.
“Basically, I will have to leave on Friday, so I will miss Friday and Saturday of the Breeders’ Cup, and then I am probably going on to the Melbourne Cup so it means I will miss Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – but I’ll be back for Wednesday at Musselburgh (November 3),” he told At The Races.
“Nevertheless, I will need to be at least double figures in front. I’m hoping Kieren gets some rides at the Breeders’ Cup so we’ll be evenly matched then. If I can leave here double figures in front then great.
“We still have a few horses to run and I’ll be giving it my best shot but "The Assassin" is hard to beat and he is going to push me right to the wire.”
Darryll Holland is too far off the pace to get back in the title picture but weighed in with a 374-1 treble courtesy of wins on Come On Jonny (14-1), Day To Remember (4-1) and Mikao (4-1).
