Frankie Dettori Interview: December Horse Racing News

We recently caught up with our Global Racing Ambassador Frankie Dettori, and sat down with him to discuss the upcoming racing season, his latest tips and insights, and all the latest news from the world of horse racing.

Read on to see what the world greatest jockey had to say and as you place your bets on the upcoming horse racing events here on Stake Sportsbook.

Can you just remind us of what prompted your South America odyssey? What was the reason for going there?

The reason was they've been asking me for the best part of 15 years to come. Unfortunately, their big days have clashed. December 15 is my birthday, Uruguay is around New Year, and with South America in the southern hemisphere, they have all the big races in their summer which is our wintertime. That has been my time off which I have needed after a long season. I fully deserve a break! So, I always had to say, ‘No,’

Prior to my decision to retire, I had promised them that before I finally stopped, I would definitely come. So, it was always on the horizon.

Basically, I kept my word and here I am. I arrived on Sunday night here in Buenos Aires and I’ll be racing on Saturday in the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini. It is one of their biggest days.

I raced in the Argentinian Derby and Oaks 18 years ago. Carlos Pellegrini is like their Arc de Triomphe, weight for age, mile and a half. It is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. The winner gets an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

So, I am here for that. Then on January 6 in Montevideo, Uruguay, there’s the Gran Premio Internacional Jose Pedro Ramirez. My last day is in Rio de Janeiro at the Gavea track for the Grande Prêmio Estado do Rio de Janeiro.

That will be my finale. It is something that I always wanted to do and I gave my word. I’ve done my Europe, I did my America, and now I'm going to finish off here in South America.

It’s a nice way to officially retire.

Are you staying in South America all the time from this weekend until February? Are you making it a proper holiday as well? What's your itinerary?

I am using this opportunity to see the continent. South America is vast. I have a couple of places of curiosity I want to see. Top of my agenda, obviously, is to go to Machu Picchu in Peru. That's in the New Year at the moment. I’ve heard the Magic Man [jockey] Joao Moreira will be around, Brazil’s greatest jockey. He is a legend.

How have you been spending your free time since you announced your retirement in the US?

I’ve been back to Britain. I haven't got a place to live because my house was rented. I stayed with my kids, helping out. My son-in-law breaks yearlings, so I've been helping him, mucking out, and leading him on an old horse on the gallops at a stable near Doncaster. I have been freezing to death because I forgot how cold it is in the winter in England.

It was a good way to keep fit. I know I am retired but I don’t want to embarrass myself and I want to stay in good shape. I am not here in South America just to show up. I am quite ambitious inside. I still like to win.

The way I was working I was too tired to go to the gym! It was a full on four or five hour day, sweeping the stables, mucking horses out. I was exhausted!

Where else were you in England?

I went to visit my daughter who is at medical school in Sheffield. She will soon qualify. She really likes it. Who would have thought we would have a doctor in the family?!

I was sad to leave the children, but I was very happy to come to a warmer country.

The UK and Ireland Flat seasons have come to an end. Was there a standout performance for you in those campaigns?

Calandagan had a sensational season with the King George at Royal Ascot and the Champion Stakes. It is not easy to have had such a high standard campaign and then go on to win the Japan Cup.

But then also we have the future, in Daryz who won the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe for the Aga Khan. He is lightly raced and looks super exciting. He will be a force to be reckoned with next year. We have so much to look forward to next year. We had some great races.

There is the Ombudsman and Delacroix trilogy and we have lots of exciting prospects. Overall it's been a very solid season.

What about in America? Is there a standout performance on the turf or dirt that really impressed you from a US horse perspective?

Obviously, we were cheated a little bit by Sovereignty having a temperature in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but to me he was the standout three-year-old.

I was really looking forward to him taking on the older horses in Del Mar but unfortunately it didn't happen.

But if he stays in training, I suspect he could turn up for Godolphin in the Dubai World Cup. But there’s all the top races in America next year. He is wonderful, strong and powerful and he dominated the season in America. He didn't win the Triple Crown because he never added the Preakness Stakes, but he was my standout pick.

Willie Mullins keeps producing miracles out of nowhere. To win the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar with Ethical Diamond, just how impressive a training performance was that?

I'll be honest, I don't think anybody believed it!

He went from winning a handicap to winning the most prestigious mile and a half race in America, and in some style, just shows you how good Willie is. It was a long shot. The accolades showered on Willie Mullins are numerous. He is incredible on both the Flat and obviously the jumps.

He's been an amazing trainer. It was a remarkable achievement. We know how good he is, but even I was surprised by that performance. But he knew what he had in his hands and he produced the goods.

Willie couldn’t reproduce it in Melbourne, unfortunately, could he with Absurde?

I kind of messed it up for him because Max Dynamite was second to Prince of Penzance in 2015 ridden by Michelle Payne. He is yet to win the race, but he’ll get there one day, don't you worry. He's knocking on the door.

It's the Hong Kong International coming up this weekend. Has anyone tried to tempt you out of retirement to go over and ride there?

As soon as I got off Khaadem for Charlie Hills in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, he said, ‘ You can't retire. You must go to Hong Kong.’

I said,’ Thank you very much, but I'm retiring, I can't do that.’

I wish Charlie all the best with Khaadem. He’s a nine year old gelding who has been a revelation in America this year.

Hong Kong offers such ridiculous prize money for jockeys, owners and trainers. What is it that they do right that they can offer such huge purses?

They’ve had the format for years. It’s governed by the Jockey Club and the volume of betting is huge and a lot of it goes into racing.

The Hong Kong International has stood the test of time. I remember going there over 30 years ago. I rode a filly for Mark Johnstone when I was only 19.

It has stood the test of time. I’ve won most of the races there with some great horses, including Fantastic Light and Ramonti.

This year doesn’t disappoint in terms of quality runners. They have the highest rated sprinter in the world, Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior, who won the Cox Plate in 2023 - there’s an absolute stellar cast for the finale to the season.

What's the buzz like riding in Hong Kong? Is it like anything else in the world?

They live for racing. Jockeys are like movie stars out there. I would say 75% of the population in Hong Kong, walk around with the race cards in their back pocket. They know every horse's name, every trainer's name, every jockey's name, and they live for that. There is a massive love for the sport.

Hollie Doyle is out there and she's having a good go. How good is it for the sport that she's getting the opportunity out in Hong Kong?

She's been doing really well in Europe. She's now having a stint out there and doing well.

Richard Kingscote is there, Harry Bentley, Andrea Atzeni, they are the English jockeys that I used to race with. It's a good place to be if you're young and ambitious.

It’s hard work, it is not easy. You have to perform, you know. If you go a couple of meetings without winning you really start losing rides. It's very competitive. It’s a tough school but it is very rewarding if it goes well because the prize money is really good

Ka Ying Rising went over to Australia from Hong Kong and landed The Everest. Is he the best sprinter in the world?

Without a doubt. No-one was surprised that he won The Everest.

I suspect he'll go off at 1-10 again on Sunday because he's head and shoulders above any sprinter in the world. I know this sounds boring. I've got to put him up as the winner of the sprint.

In the Cup, I’m going to be boring again and go for Romantic Warrior.

That’s my Hong Kong double.

Two short prices but I can’t see anyone in those two races overturning these two amazing horses, they are super consistent.

I'm a horse fan, and I like them to show up and win because it's good for the sport. And they've been amazing horses to follow these last couple of years.

Calandagan’s performance in the Japan Cup was pretty exceptional, wasn't it?

Competing at the highest level all summer and still winning the Japan Cup, that is pretty remarkable. It is no easy feat to do it and being a gelding, we're going to see him again next year. So super excited.

What are the particular challenges of riding in Japan?

They are super passionate, they're investing a lot of money in the breed in the last 40 years and you know they even when they travel you see the performances in Dubai, Saudi, they’ve won a Melbourne Cup. The only race they haven't won is the Arc but they're getting close.

Unfortunately for them it always rains around that time, and most of their racing is on fast ground. It takes a lot of their horses by surprise when they run on soft ground. But they'll get there in the end.

How good does a horse have to be to win that race? I think you rode the last European winner before Calandagan on Alkaased, didn't you?

Of course you need a good horse and one that travels.

I got beat with Ouija Board but she was a good traveller. Singspiel was a good traveller because he went to the Breeders’ Cup and he went to Dubai. So, you need a horse that can travel because it is a long way to perform.

When you're back in April in England and they’re under starter's orders again, will you find it hard not to think, maybe another year?

I’ve had two retirements, one in Europe and one in America so I'm getting quite used to it now.

My mind is kind of made up. Of course it will be the day that I will miss it, but overall I’ve got this great opportunity to still be involved in racing without doing it myself. I will be 55 next week so I have to stop sometime. It was a good opportunity for me to leave but not leave, if you gte what I mean.

I think I've done my bit and now it's time to move on.

How are you celebrating your birthday in Argentina next week?

I will be here in Buenos Aires and I suspect since the meat and the wines are so good that we'll have a nice steak and a nice bottle of red wine. I think that sounds about right.

Next year is 30 years on from your amazing seven-timer at Ascot, how will that be marked?

I am sure something will come up. The scary thing is it was 30 years ago. My God. It is one of my proudest moments and there will be some sort of celebration somewhere. But that's not until next year.

Any other Hong Kong tips?

I’ve mentioned Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior.

In the Vase, I’m going for Andre Fabre’s runner Sosie, a super consistent horse.

The hardest one is the mile. I am going to go for Soul Rush who won the Dubai Turf and beat Romantic Warrior in the process.