Godolphin's jockey Frankie Dettori with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed
©Andrew Watkins
Frankie pictured at Al Quoz Stables
©www.godolphin.com
In action on the Gallops
©www.godolphin.com
Frankie does his trademark flying dismount
©Stefano Grasso
Name: Lanfranco (Frankie) Dettori
Job Title: Jockey
Lanfranco (Frankie) Dettori is one of the elite stars of world racing, with his ebullient personality and brilliance in the saddle making him a favourite around the globe.
Born in Milan on December 15, 1970, he followed the lead of his father, Gianfranco Dettori, who was a multiple champion jockey in Italy and enjoyed Classic success in England in the 1970s.
The young Dettori left his homeland for England to join Luca Cumani’s Newmarket stable as an apprentice in July, 1985.
His first success on Rif at Turin, Italy, on November 16, 1986, was achieved aged 15 and the initial British winner happened on Lizzy Hare at Goodwood on June 9, 1987.
Frankie Dettori’s precocious talents were quickly noted. He finished champion British apprentice in 1989 and his potential was such that comparisons were drawn with past champions.
He became the first teenager since the legendary jockey Lester Piggott to ride a century of winners in a British season when recording 141 successes the next year.
His first Group One success also came in 1990 on board the Luca Cumani-trained Markofdistinction in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
He gained his first European Classic victory on Temporal in the 1991 German Derby and added the French equivalent, the Prix du Jockey Club, the following season with Polytain.
The Italian rider has since captured the hearts of racegoers with a flamboyant style that sees him perform flying dismounts after major victories, gain success after success and show charisma in and out of the saddle.
He was appointed retained jockey to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Godolphin in 1993 and went on to ride 233 winners in 1994 as he secured the first of three British jockeys’ championships - he retained the title in 1995 and was crowned leading rider again in 2004.
Frankie Dettori’s exploits in the saddle achieved legendary status at the Ascot Festival on September 28, 1996, when he partnered all seven winners on the card.
His historic “Magnificent Seven” included four in the royal blue silks of Godolphin, headed by the brilliant Mark Of Esteem in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as well as Wall Street (G3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes), Diffident (G2 Diadem Stakes) and Fatefully (Listed Rosemary Rated Handicap).
The rider had one of his greatest weekends at the beginning of June, 2007, when he won the Epsom Derby for the first time on Authorized, his 15th mount in the premier British Classic. He praised H.H. Sheikh Mohammed for letting him ride the colt.
The following day, he displayed the exemplary judgement that marks him as one of the world’s finest riders, when he made all on Lawman in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, his third success in that French Classic, having landed the prize in similarly brilliant fashion on Godolphin’s Shamardal in 2005.
He enjoyed the honour of riding the great Dubai Millennium to his most exhilarating success in the 2000 Dubai World Cup and has also won the world’s richest race on Moon Ballad (2003) and Electrocutionist (2006) for Godolphin.
Frankie Dettori has won all five British Classics at least once, amassing 13 victories in them, as well as collecting a host of high-profile international races.
His international conquests also include the 1995, 2001 and 2002 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes with Lammtarra, Sakhee and Marienbard respectively for Godolphin; the Japan Cup on Singspiel in 1996, Falbrav in 2002 and Alkaased in 2005 plus the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Daylami in 1999, Fantastic Light in 2001 and Red Rocks in 2006.
His impressive haul at America’s Breeders’ Cup was enhanced in 2008 when he rode Raven’s Pass to victory in the feature Breeders’ Cup Classic for H.H. Sheikh Mohammed’s wife H.R.H. Princess Haya of Jordan.
To date, Frankie Dettori has ridden the winners of 96 Group/Grade One races around the world for Godolphin, plus enjoying 799 successes in all for his retained stable.
He gained his 200th Group/Grade success for the stable at Royal Ascot in 2008 when Campanologist triumphed in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes.
The jockey was awarded one of Britain’s most respected civic honours, the MBE, by Her Majesty The Queen in 2000.
- To view the Godolphin statistics for Frankie Dettori, please click here.
- To view Frankie's Photo Gallery, please click here.
- To view all Frankie's Group/Grade One winners for Godolphin, please click here.