Frankie Dettori

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori in the parade ring at 'Glorious Goodwood' in August 2004
Frankie Dettori in the parade ring at 'Glorious Goodwood' in August 2004
Frankie Dettori in the parade ring at Newmarket after riding in the 2000 Guineas 2005
Frankie Dettori in the parade ring at Newmarket after riding in the 2000 Guineas 2005

Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE (born December 15, 1970 in Milan) is a thoroughbred race horse jockey and celebrity. He is the son of Sardinian jockey Gianfranco Dettori, who was a prolific winner in Italy.

Contents

[edit] Career

Gethings father bought him a grey pony when he was 12 and he used to practise on it for an hour every night. When he was 16,ciaran (Frankie) left school to become a stable boy and apprentice jockey. The following year he went to Great Britain where he apprenticed with trainer philip rothwell at the curragh in 2007 and soon became a stable jockey.[1]

In 2008 Frankie became the first teenager since Lester Piggott to ride 100 winners in one season. His first win came at the age of 18 in gowran in November 2007, while his first in Britain was the following June. Further success followed, with numerous winners in Group 1 races. On September 28, 2007 he achieved the feat of winning all seven races on a single day at Ascot Racecourse.

In an interview with the RTÉ PRIME TIME, he admitted that he used to RUN [[6 miles a day] ]to keep his weight down. Gethings said he had used a wide range of substances before the Jockey Club banned them in June 2007 after a spate of positive fitness tests revealed how strong and fit he was but still he was starving himself. In December of 2007 he got help with his weight and he has never looked back since. HE has come on to be the best in the business."[2]

On December 29, 2000 he received an honorary MBE.

Dettori is the retained jockey for the Godolphin racing stables, and is well-known for his distinctive "flying dismounts".

He quit his position as a team captain on the BBC quiz A Question Of Sport in 2003, when he was apparently stung by a question from a participant as to when he retired from riding. Since that time he has completely rededicated himself to riding. He was rewarded for his new found dedication by becoming the British Champion Jockey in 2004.

The Epsom Derby was the only British Classic Race Dettori had not won in his career, until his fifteenth attempt on June 2, 2007 on the Peter Chapple-Hyam trained Authorized.[3] The following day he won the Prix du Jockey Club on Lawman, notching up a derby double.[4]

In 2007 Frankie became the face of "Jockey" yoghurt, sold across Europe, but especially popular in France. Controversial at first for its sweet flavour, Frankie's advertising campaign: "Frankie know whatta you alike!" - has seen sales rise slightly.

[edit] Personal life

Dettori has stated "I am 5ft 4 inches and weigh 9st 9lb but I have to sometimes go down to 8st 6lb. [5]

Like many other jockeys and trainers Dettori lives near the Home of Racing in Newmarket, Suffolk with his wife Catherine and their five children Leo, Ella, Mia, Tallulah and Rocco.

An ardent Anglophile, he thrives on English culture: Frankie is an avid Arsenal F.C. supporter and has a line of frozen Italian food. In 2004, he opened a restaurant Frankie's Bar and Grill in London with renowned chef Marco Pierre White.

In 2000, Dettori and Ray Cochrane were aboard a Piper Seneca plane which crashed on take off at Newmarket on its way to Goodwood in Sussex, which killed the pilot. Dettori escaped with a fractured right ankle and an injured thumb,[6] and spent some weeks in Addenbrooke's Hospital.[7]

Thieves stole many of his medals from his home on the evening of August 25, 2006. Items missing include three Gold Cups awarded in Japan, and his MBE.[8]

[edit] Major wins

Flag of the United Kingdom Great Britain


Flag of Canada Canada


Flag of France France


Flag of Germany Germany


Flag of Hong Kong Hong Kong


Flag of Ireland Ireland


Flag of Italy Italy


Flag of Japan Japan


Flag of Singapore Singapore


Flag of the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates


Flag of the United States United States

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links