Frankie Dettori claims first victory since returning to action – Horseracing news
Frankie Dettori was on top of the word after winning his first race since returning to the sport following a six-month ban.
He had failed a drug test last year, which put him out of action for quite some time.
When the veteran jockey returned to the sport in June, it appeared that he had lost his class. He struggled to deliver good results and was under immense pressure. However, he finally managed to break the shackles, winning the Lammas Lane Handicap at Sandown
in England.
The ecstatic rider claimed, “Look, I've ridden 3,000 winners, but everyone is waiting for this one. The first winner is always sweet, and I've had plenty of practice these last six days. Today I knew I had live chances, and one of them has won.”
When asked about his goals, he added, “I'm not aiming high, but I'd like to win 100 races now. I've got plenty of rides coming up, including ten on Saturday.”
Dettori was partnering Asian Trader in the class-4 event, which had attracted a total of 12 runners. The competition was a tough one, but the winning stallion had entered the competition as a favourite. Therefore, the punters risked a lot of money in his
favour and were rewarded for that at the end of the day.
Although Asian Trader’s start was not an impressive one, he managed to make up for that in the later stages of the race. Once the traps were opened, it appeared that Dettori would have to wait more for his first win since coming back.
However, the seasoned rider did not lose hope and placed his runner in the midfield pretty soon. From then onwards, he kept on gaining places and was in a very good position, entering the final furlong. In the end, he managed to finish ahead of his closest
rival by half a length, securing the winning cash prize of £4,690.
This victory would have pleased Dettori’s fans to a great deal, but they will be expecting him to deliver stronger results in some major competitions. There are quite a few of them scheduled to take place in the coming months, so it will be interesting to
see what the Italian rider manages in them.
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