Frankie Dettori kick starts the free lance career with a full card at Newmarket
Just when the horse racing industry was shocked at the eventual outcome of the eighteen-year association of jockey, Frankie Dettori and Godolphin, the rider managed a full booking for Wednesday, 24th October at Newmarket with a high assortment of trainers. True to his word, the Sheikh does intend to make the most out of what is left of the affiliation which was reflected through the rides due to which Frankie Dettori will have to put on the colours of the banner.
He will ride Ikhtisas, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, in the British Stallion Studs EBF TBA Maiden Stakes. While the other Emirati trainer, Mahmood Al Zarooni has opted the previously principal rider of his owner for Quintilian in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Nursery.
Judging the enthusiasm and warm welcoming of the training fraternity at Newmarket really makes one wonder if the broken affiliation was damaging to Frankie Dettori’s career or was a bright new start to the new dimension of the career.
Dettori and his agent are highly determined to hawk the champions title for a fourth time, but everyone knows that the goal can be one of the hardest the world class jockey has ever come across.
Every jockey who has won the title accomplished it with at least 136 winners since 1984, and Frankie Dettori right now is seriously low on that target right now, something that is music to the ears of his arch rival, Richard Hughes.
The trainers are truly enjoying the ‘freedom’ of the jockey. His agent, Ray Cochrane, commented:
"We're going to ride as many winners as we can," Cochrane said, "and, if we're doing well, it's always a possible."
"He'll be riding for everybody, everywhere, whenever they want him."
"If he gets four or five good rides, he'll go. He only needs to ride one meeting a day, say five rides, two winners, add up the days, take a week's holiday after Ascot . . . could you rule him out?"
A suggestion from the fierce rival came in as:
"His strategy will have to be different. You can't just expect to get the good rides if you're not riding every other day and he knows that. I just hope he enjoys the mileage."
Frankie Dettori has passed the test of attracting rides without the backing of the royal blue banner, and how many of the races he lands as successes will make his case stronger.
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