Frankie Dettori Interview: Sussex Stakes

Our monthly blog posts are back with our Global Racing Ambassador Frankie Dettori, we sat down with him to discuss the upcoming Sussex Stakes , and all the latest news from the world of horse racing.

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

How did you enjoy your trip to Royal Ascot this year?

It was maybe a bit easier this year, going back to Royal Ascot and not riding. It was more difficult the year before. This year I was able to enjoy myself a bit more. I did the car parks, which I haven’t done for 20 years! I was able to socialise a bit more and the racing was fantastic. I know exactly how people feel now in their morning suits! It was extremely hot this year, especially as I’m used to just wearing my colours, which weigh next to nothing. I had the angel and the devil on my shoulders again - should I have ridden, should I not? It was a little bit difficult, but it was good to be back and see some old friends. Ascot has been a very important place for me for so many reasons. I felt the love from the people, which was good. The door might still be open if a US trainer had a runner there, anyway... anything could happen between now and Royal Ascot next year.

Ascot’s King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes takes place this Saturday, 26th July with French ace Calandagan, Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel, globetrotter Rebel’s Romance and star filly Kalpana headlining the confirmation stage. How do you see the race unfolding?

I think the Aga Khan horse, Calandagan, will get his revenge. Ascot is a different track to Epsom, and I think it will suit him better than Epsom, so he could get past Jan Brueghel this time. Another horse who I think is overpriced is Rebel’s Romance. I think he is going to run a huge race. I would say that the betting should be much closer than the bookmakers currently have it. This horse is so consistent and you can always rely on him to run a super race. There’s not much between Jan Brueghel and Calandagan ultimately, but my pick would be Rebel’s Romance to split the two. Kalpana is a super mare, but the colts are better than the fillies in this race. She just might fall a bit short of them, but let’s see what happens. I know it’s only five runners, but we can make a case for nearly all of them. It’s a quality renewal.

Your first victory in the KG&QE stakes was in 1995 on Lammtarra - can you recall that experience?

My old agent, Mattie, called me to tell me I had the ride on Lammtarra in the King George and I nearly had a heart attack! I never thought they would take Walter Swinburn off her. I was so excited and it was a great thrill. Lammtarra was a bit of a tiger. He was never flashy, but he loved a fight! I kept it pretty simple, left him with plenty of space. I remember Michael Hills came up with a double handful on Pentire, and I thought he was going to blow past me, but he just put his head in front and my horse fought back. It was typical Lammtarra style. He didn’t know how to give in! In those days, the Queen used to give the trophy, and that was one of the first times I met Her Majesty.

In January, Ascot Racecourse invested a record £17.75 million in 2025 prize money - seeing £1.5m awarded to the KG&QE stakes, which makes it the richest race ever run at Ascot. Will this jackpot help revitalise the G1 contest?

When I was a kid in Italy, they only showed three races from other countries; the Derby, the King George and the Arc de Triomphe. For Europe, they are the magic three super heavyweight races. It’s an absolute classic middle-distance race. The prize money is great. When you consider in Australia and America they have a million dollar race almost every other weekend, whereas in England we only have eight! So I’m glad to see prize money going up a bit, so we don’t get left too far behind the rest of the world. Every year you read that we have record numbers of attendance at our big meetings, so it’s popular enough and I just can’t work out, where is the money?! When I left England 18 months ago I was riding for the same money I was riding for when I started racing in the late eighties. We haven’t progressed.

Qatar Goodwood Festival is on the horizon, how much did that meeting mean to you?

I had my first winner at Goodwood, so I love the place. But it is a very tricky track. It has the most beautiful setting you will find on any racecourse though. In the middle of the summer especially. As a jockey, you can leave there either loving it or hating it. It can be very harsh. Sometimes, everything will go wrong for the week, and other years everything will go right and you’ll get the gaps when you need them. It’s one of those tracks where you have to really improvise, but you need luck too.

You won the Goodwood Cup twice on Stradivarius in back-to-back years, how special a horse was he?

He was a super horse. I loved him. And he loved Goodwood. Four Goodwood Cups is amazing. There’s something more special for me about the Sussex Stakes, though, because my dad won it a couple of times in the 70s.

The Sussex Stakes is the big race of the week, how do you see that race panning out? Is it another battle between Illinois and Field Of Gold or can someone spring a surprise in this year’s renewal?

I’ll be honest, I did cheekily send John Gosden a little message saying I might be interested in Field Of Gold! He is probably one of the top rated three-year-olds in the world at the moment so I thought that, if I’m going to try and make a comeback, then he is the right horse. I think he’s the revelation of the year. What he did at Ascot was super impressive. Going forward to this race, after Illinois was second in the Gold Cup, looking like he didn’t stay the extra quarter mile, I think he is a short priced favourite and he deserves to be. He’d be very hard to turn over.

There was much speculation over who rides Field Of Gold in the Sussex Stakes but now that William Buick has been confirmed, is he a good booking in your view?

They have William there in Newmarket, so it wouldn’t make sense to fly me all the way over to ride him! William is a great jockey, he’s riding the crest of the wave at the moment, and he deserves to be there.

Delacroix could be heading there too, what chance does he have off the back of his Coral-Eclipse win?

I don’t know! Maybe they will save him for the Juddmonte International? But who am I to say. It’s going to be a cracker of a race either way. Especially if Rosallion turns up.

Godolphin have roared back to some form in recent weeks, is their investment in the sport crucial to the future of it even more now than ever?

Coolmore and Godolphin have reshaped racing over the last 40 years. They invest in stallions and mares, and we should give them a round of applause because they’re producing great champions. They’ve invested so much in the thoroughbred, and their legacies should be continued.

Zac Purton has been crowned Hong Kong champion jockey yet again, should he be trying his arm in Europe more often?

It’s up to him, really! Why should he change? He’s been champion over there for many years, he has broken every record, he’s won so much prize money. Most of the good jobs are taken in Europe so he could come for a busman’s holiday but he’d be mad to leave what he’s got at the moment. I don’t question his abilities as a jockey, he’s superb. But if I were him, I wouldn’t see a reason to change anything.

Or would you like to head out to Hong Kong and take him on and challenge him for his crown next season?

I tried it when I was younger. I don’t disrespect the racing in Hong Kong and I love the big festivals there, but my character and my riding does not perhaps agree with the 10 and a half months of racing in Hong Kong. I don’t feel I would fit in. You need to be a particular kind of jockey to fit in there, and I don’t think I would have survived. Everybody’s different, but from my perspective I think I might find it a bit suffocating. I prefer to explore and move around. America is working for me. This is my second year here. I’m going to Chicago on Saturday, which is a new place for me again, so it’s all good! When you move around, the time flies! It’s fun and engaging and there’s always so much to do.

What is your best bet for Glorious Goodwood?

Field Of Gold is the banker, even if I won't be riding him!

How about your next best and an outsider to keep an eye on?

My next best is See The Fire in the Nassau Stakes on Thursday and the best long shot would be Hammer for Kevin Ryan in the Stewards' Cup on Saturday.