Glorious Goodwood: Time for one last dance for Frankie Dettori on the Downs

The filly, named after the secretary that drove him to the races, was squeezed through a gap on the far rail to win by a length and a half and chalked up a first winner on British soil for an Italian-born apprentice jockey.

Thirty-six years and some 3000 winners later, Lanfranco Dettori returns to wave farewell to the South Downs. A man whose infectious smile and charismatic Italian charm have taken the sport of horse racing to hitherto uncharted territory.

Win tickets to Saturday at Glorious Goodwood.

Few figures have captured the imagination in the equine world quite like Dettori. Frankie - as you and I know him - has lit up racecourses with his unwavering confidence and ferocious riding skills for nearly forty years but, like any great sportsman, it is time to pass on the proverbial baton.

In true Frankie Dettori fashion, he will be hoping to bow out in the most extravagant way, with a stellar book of rides across the five days.

Sussex Stakes will have French flavour.

Unsurprisingly, the 52-year-old won’t have to wait long for his first crack at Group 1 glory this week, when Courage Mon Ami lines up in the Goodwood Cup on the opening day. The lightly raced son of Frankel recorded a first top-level success when coming from last to first in the Ascot Gold Cup and is best-priced 5/2 to repeat that over this two-mile trip.

Coltrane was three-quarters of a length behind Dettori’s mount on that occasion, but there is a case to be made that the six-year-old has a serious chance of reversing the form with ground conditions in his favour. Master trainer Aidan O’Brien sends two over to compete for the coveted prize, with Emily Dickinson the most favoured of the pair to write herself onto the illustrious roll of honour.

Twenty-four hours later, six will go to post to wage war over a mile in the feature of the week, the Qatar Sussex Stakes. O’Brien appears to hold all the cards - or card - in the form of Paddington, who is a warm favourite to take the honours back to Ballydoyle. With his customary gift for chronic understatement, I can make an educated guess that Aidan would be ‘delighted’ with the result.

Inspiral will be aiming to add a fourth Group 1 success to her CV with the assistance of Dettori in the saddle, while connections of French raider, Facteur Cheval, will be performing a rain dance in the days prior.

On Thursday, the attention turns to the ladies, when the Nassau Stakes takes centre stage. Chantilly-based Christopher Head will be hoping to land the Group 1 contest with star filly Blue Rose Cen, in doing so emulating his father’s top-level success at this venue with Solow in 2015.

The daughter of Churchill has enjoyed a magnificent campaign, reigning supreme in the French equivalent of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks respectively. If she were to continue her ascendancy on the Downs this Thursday, the daughter of Churchill would achieve a feat even her sire couldn’t - with his bid to land a top-level success at the Sussex-based racecourse scuppered due to torrential rain.

Last year’s victor, Nashwa, rates her most immediate danger having bounced back to form in the Falmouth Stakes last month.

All eyes will be fixated on the sprinters in Friday’s Qatar King George Stakes, over the minimum trip of five furlongs. Speed is the name of the game as they will hurtle down the Goodwood Straight in under a minute.

This year’s main protagonists include three-time Group 1 winner, Highfield Princess, Equality and Dramatised. Blink and you’ll miss it.

The Stewards’ Cup has become synonymous with Goodwood racecourse and, the race dating back to 1840, should be a grand spectacle once again. Twenty-eight runners will span across the track and charge toward the winning post. Expect hard luck stories and a potential surprise winner in this tricky handicap. Mitbaahy and recent Royal Ascot-winner Saint Lawrence could be two to keep on side.

Then, as the fun and frivolity of the week draws to a close, we can wave goodbye to a man who has been at the heartbeat of this marvellous racecourse for those 36 years. The thousands in attendance will flock in the fervent hope of witnessing that customary flying dismount one last time. With strawberries and cream at the ready, binoculars in hand and a tissue in the pocket, Frankie Dettori, the stage is yours.