WORLD CLASS reinsman Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori is among six riders who have been carded to represent a Great Britain and Ireland jockey team to compete against a Barbados contingent in the 2014 Winter Jockey Challenge at the historic Garrison Savannah world heritage site on Saturday, November 22.
Italian-born Dettori is no stranger to Barbados as he has visited on several occasions while on vacation and has also attended the prestigious Sandy Lane Gold Cup.
After he previously expressed his desire to one day ride at the track, his appearance will be an honour for the many “Frankie” fans, who frequent the various betting shops locally in support of him. Additionally, it will provide that opportunity to meet, greet and witness the maestro live in action.
This event is being staged through the collaborative efforts of the Barbados Turf Club, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Incorporated and Mango Bay Barbados Hotel and
falls on the BTC’s second race day of the third racing season.
Dettori’s résumé speaks volumes of his accomplishments. He has won three championships and over 500 group races in about every major race jurisdiction around the globe.
For a very long time he was the retained rider for the very powerful Godolphin Racing outfit and his exemplary skills are characterised by his trade mark “flying dismounts”. Now the retained rider for Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, Dettori has the distinction of winning all seven races in 1996 at the British Champion Day at Royal Ascot.
The Epsom Derby, one of the pinnacle races for any jockey, proved one of his major challenges as it eluded him for quite some time before he finally won the race in his 15th attempt astride Authorized.
Last year’s visiting team of captain Kieren Fallon, Seb Saunders and James Fortune will be joined by Jamie Spencer, who will quit the saddle at the end of the season and is expected to take up a job with Qatar Racing Management and Thomas Queally.
Spencer, the champion jockey in Ireland and Britain, who is renowned for holding up horses and using a dash of speed, rode in the 2011 Gold Cup, partnering the St Kitts representative Bad Action.
Completing the new face of the team is Irishman Quealy. Although his resume doesn’t sparkle like that of Dettori or Fallon, he has won apprentice titles in Britain and Ireland. His breakthrough year came in 2009 when he won five group one races.
The one horse that overshadows all Queally has achieved is the Sir Henry Cecil-trained colt Frankel, rated as the best horse ever assessed by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Ranking since ratings were introduced in 1977.
