Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE (born December 15, 1970 in Milan) is an Italian thoroughbred race horse jockey and celebrity. He is the son of Sardinian jockey Gianfranco Dettori, who was a prolific winner in Italy.
Career
Dettori's father bought him a Palomino pony when he was 12 and he used to practise on it for an hour every night. When he was 13 Dettori left school to become a stable boy and apprentice jockey. The following year he went to Great Britain where he apprenticed with trainer Luca Cumani at Newmarket in 1985 and soon became a stable jockey.[1]
In 1990 Dettori became the first teenager since Lester Piggott to ride 100 winners in one season. His first win came at the age of 16 in Turin in November 1986, while his first in Britain was the following June. Further success followed, with numerous winners in Group 1 races. On September 28, 1996 he achieved the feat of winning all seven races on a single day at Ascot Racecourse.
In an interview with the BBC's Newsnight, he admitted that he used to take diuretic drugs to keep his weight down. Dettori said he had used a wide range of substances before the Jockey Club banned them in June 1998 after a spate of positive drug tests revealed how prevalent their use was becoming: "I took Lasix, pee pills, diuretics, laxatives; all sorts."[2]
On December 29, 2000 he received an honorary MBE.
Dettori is the retained jockey for the Godolphin racing stables, and is well-known for his distinctive "flying dismounts".
He quit his position as a team captain on the BBC quiz A Question Of Sport in 2003, when he was apparently stung by a question from a participant as to when he retired from riding. Since that time he has completely rededicated himself to riding. He was rewarded for his new found dedication by becoming the British Champion Jockey in 2004.
The Epsom Derby was the only British Classic Race Dettori had not won in his career, until his fifteenth attempt on June 2, 2007 on the Peter Chapple-Hyam trained Authorized.[3] The following day he won the Prix du Jockey Club on Lawman, notching up a derby double.[4]
In 2007 Dettori became the face of "Jockey" yoghurt, sold across Europe, but especially popular in France. Controversial at first for its sweet flavour, Dettori's advertising campaign: "Frankie know whatta you alike!" – has seen sales rise slightly.
Personal life
Dettori has stated "I am 5 ft 4 inches and weigh 9st 9lb but I have to sometimes go down to 8st 6lb." [5]
Like many other jockeys and trainers Dettori lives near the Home of Racing in Newmarket, Suffolk with his wife Catherine and their five children Leo, Ella, Mia, Tallulah and Rocco.
An ardent Anglophile, he thrives on English culture: Dettori is an avid Arsenal F.C. supporter. He has a line of frozen Italian food. In 2004, he opened a restaurant Frankie's Bar and Grill in London with renowned chef Marco Pierre White.
In 2000, Dettori and Ray Cochrane were aboard a Piper Seneca plane which crashed on take off at Newmarket on its way to Goodwood in Sussex, killing the pilot. Dettori escaped with a fractured right ankle and an injured thumb,[6] and spent some weeks in Addenbrooke's Hospital.[7]
Thieves stole many of his medals from his home on the evening of August 25, 2006. Items missing include three Gold Cups awarded in Japan, and his MBE.[8]
Major wins
- Ayr Gold Cup - (1) - Jimmy Styles (2009)
- 1,000 Guineas – (2) – Cape Verdi (1998), Kazzia (2002)
- 2,000 Guineas – (2) – Mark of Esteem (1996), Island Sands (1999)
- Ascot Gold Cup – (4) – Drum Taps (1992 & 1993), Kayf Tara (1998), Papineau (2004)
- Cheveley Park Stakes – (2) – Regal Rose (2000), Carry on Katie (2003)
- Coronation Cup – (4) – Swain (1996), Singspiel (1997), Daylami (1999), Mutafaweq (2001)
- Epsom Derby – (1) – Authorized (2007)
- Eclipse Stakes – (2) – Daylami (1998), Refuse to Bend (2004)
- Falmouth Stakes – (1) – Nahoodh (2008)
- Fillies' Mile – (4) – Shamshir (1990), Glorosia (1997), Teggiano (1999), Crystal Music (2000)
- Golden Jubilee Stakes – (1) – So Factual (1995)
- Haydock Sprint Cup – (1) – Diktat (1999)
- International Stakes – (5) – Halling (1996), Singspiel (1997), Sakhee (2001), Sulamani (2004), Authorized (2007)
- King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – (4) – Lammtarra (1995), Swain (1998), Daylami (1999), Doyen (2004)
- Lockinge Stakes – (3) – Emperor Jones (1994), Aljabr (2000), Creachadoir (2008)
- Middle Park Stakes – (3) – Bahamian Bounty (1996), Lujain (1998), Dutch Art (2006)
- Nassau Stakes – (2) – Lailani (2001), Ouija Board (2006)
- Nunthorpe Stakes – (3) – Lochsong (1993), So Factual (1995), Lochangel (1998)
- Oaks – (3) – Balanchine (1994), Moonshell (1995), Kazzia (2002)
- Prince of Wales's Stakes – (2) – Fantastic Light (2001), Grandera (2002)
- Queen Anne Stakes – (6) – Markofdistinction (1990), Allied Forces (1997), Intikhab (1998), Dubai Destination (2003), Refuse to Bend (2004), Ramonti (2007)
- Queen Elizabeth II Stakes – (4) – Markofdistinction (1990), Mark of Esteem (1996), Dubai Millennium (1999), Ramonti (2007)
- Racing Post Trophy – (1) – Authorized (2006)
- St. James's Palace Stakes – (1) – Starborough (1997)
- St. Leger – (5) – Classic Cliché (1995), Shantou (1996), Scorpion (2005), Sixties Icon (2006), Conduit (2008)
- Sun Chariot Stakes – (1) – Red Slippers (1992)
- Sussex Stakes – (4) – Second Set (1991), Aljabr (1999), Noverre (2001), Ramonti (2007)
- Yorkshire Oaks – (1) – Only Royale (1994)
- Canadian International Stakes – (2) – Mutafaweq (2000), Sulamani (2004)
- E. P. Taylor Stakes – (1) – Folk Opera (2008)
- Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud – (1) – Alkaased (2005)
- Poule d'Essai des Poulains – (3) – Vettori (1995), Bachir (2000), Shamardal (2005)
- Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp – (3) – Lochsong (1993 & 1994), Var (2004)
- Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – (3) – Lammtarra (1995), Sakhee (2001), Marienbard (2002)
- Prix du Cadran – (1) – Sergeant Cecil (2006)
- Prix de Diane – (1) – West Wind (2007)
- Prix de la Forêt – (1) – Caradak (2006)
- Prix Ganay – (1) – Pelder (1995)
- Prix d'Ispahan – (2) – Halling (1996), Best of the Bests (2002)
- Prix Jacques Le Marois – (3) – Dubai Millennium (1999), Muhtathir (2000), Librettist (2006)
- Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère – (1) – Rio de la Plata (2007)
- Prix Jean Prat – (3) – Torrential (1995), Starborough (1997), Almutawakel (1998)
- Prix du Jockey Club – (3) – Polytain (1992), Shamardal (2005), Lawman (2007)
- Prix Lupin – (1) – Flemensfirth (1995)
- Prix Marcel Boussac – (2) – Ryafan (1996), Sulk (2001)
- Prix Maurice de Gheest – (1) – Diktat (1999)
- Prix Morny – (1) – Bahamian Bounty (1996)
- Prix du Moulin de Longchamp – (2) – Slickly (2001), Librettist (2006)
- Prix de la Salamandre – (2) – Lord of Men (1995), Aljabr (1998)
- Prix Vermeille – (1) – Mezzo Soprano (2003)
- Bayerisches Zuchtrennen – (2) – Germany (1995), Kutub (2001)
- Deutsches Derby – (1) – Temporal (1991)
- Deutschland-Preis – (2) – Luso (1997), Marienbard (2002)
- Grosser Preis von Baden – (3) – Germany (1995), Marienbard (2002), Mamool (2003)
- Preis von Europa – (2) – Kutub (2001), Mamool (2003)
- Centenary Sprint Cup – (1) – Firebolt (2002)
- Hong Kong Cup – (3) – Fantastic Light (2000), Falbrav (2003), Ramonti (2007)
- Hong Kong Mile – (1) – Firebreak (2004)
- Hong Kong Vase – (1) – Luso (1996)
- Queen Elizabeth II Cup – (1) – Overbury (1996)
- Irish 2,000 Guineas – (2) – Bachir (2000), Dubawi (2005)
- Irish Champion Stakes – (4) – Swain (1998), Daylami (1999), Fantastic Light (2001), Grandera (2002)
- Irish Derby – (1) – Balanchine (1994)
- Irish Oaks – (2) – Lailani (2001), Vintage Tipple (2003)
- Irish St. Leger – (1) – Kayf Tara (1999)
- Matron Stakes – (1) – Independence (2001)
- National Stakes – (1) – Dubawi (2004)
- Phoenix Stakes – (1) – Pips Pride (1992)
- Pretty Polly Stakes – (1) – Del Deya (1994)
- Tattersalls Gold Cup – (2) – Daylami (1998), Fantastic Light (2001)
- Derby Italiano – (2) – Mukhalif (1999), Mastery (2009)
- Gran Criterium – (1) – Kirklees (2006)
- Gran Premio del Jockey Club – (4) – Misil (1993), Shantou (1996), Kutub (2001), Cherry Mix (2005)
- Gran Premio d'Italia – (1) – Masad (1992)
- Gran Premio di Milano – (2) – Shantou (1997), Sudan (2007)
- Oaks d'Italia – (1) – Nicole Pharly (1997)
- Premio Roma – (4) – Legal Case (1990), Misil (1992), Flemensfirth (1996), Sunstrach (2002)
- Premio Vittorio di Capua – (4) – Muhtathir (1999), Slickly (2001 & 2002), Ancient World (2004)
- Japan Cup – (3) – Singspiel (1996), Falbrav (2002), Alkaased (2005)
- Japan Cup Dirt – (1) – Eagle Café (2002)
- Singapore Gold Cup – (1) – Kutub (2002)
- Singapore Airlines International Cup – (1) – Grandera (2002)
- Dubai Duty Free Stakes – (1) – Tamayaz (1997)
- Dubai Golden Shaheen – (1) – Kelly's Landing (2007)
- Dubai Sheema Classic – (2) – Stowaway (1998), Sulamani (2003)
- Dubai UAE Derby – (2) – Essence Of Dubai (2002), Discreet Cat (2006)
- Dubai World Cup – (3) – Dubai Millennium (2000), Moon Ballad (2003), Electrocutionist (2006)
- Godolphin Mile – (1) – Two Step Salsa (2009)
- Beverly D. Stakes – (1) – Crimson Palace (2004)
- Breeders' Cup Classic – (1) – Raven's Pass (2008)
- Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – (1) – Ouija Board (2006)
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile – (1) – Wilko (2004)
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf – (1) – Donativum (2008)
- Breeders' Cup Mile – (1) – Barathea (1994)
- Breeders' Cup Turf – (3) – Daylami (1999), Fantastic Light (2001), Red Rocks (2006)
See also
See also
References
- ^ Bbc Sport | Passion For Sport
- ^ I used drugs, says Frankie Dettori | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited
- ^ BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | Horse Racing | Dettori ends Derby jinx in style
- ^ BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | Horse Racing | Dettori notches up Derby double
- ^ BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | Horse Racing | Dettori calls for higher weights
- ^ BBC News | UK | Jockeys hurt in fatal crash
- ^ BBC News | UK | Dettori recovers in hospital
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Cambridgeshire | Dettori 'sickened' by trophy raid
External links
- Jockey's Room – has biography and career win statistics
- [1] – Video replays, official charts, and article recaps of every Breeders' Cup race.
- Frankies italian Bar and Grill – Frankie's Restaurants and Bars
- [2] – BBC Question Of Sport Website
- Sunday Times article 19 July, 2009