Frankie “Authorized” Derby win
Just as our own "Muis" Roberts (whose success world wide is
well documented) had one race elude him till late in his career in the
form of the Durban July, so the great Frankie Dettori has
battled with the "one that got away" - that being the Epsom
Derby. Having ridden no less than 8 favourites in the past 14
years and still remaining without a victory in the great race, he can
be forgiven for thinking that 2007 may well make that statistic 9
favorites in 15 years! Thankfully, this was not to be and the hoodoo
was put to rest when Authorized and Frankie came home lonely.
In the end, it all looked so easy as Authorized blitzed his
way to victory in the Vodafone Derby (Eng-G1) in front of
100,000 racegoers at Epsom on Saturday. His joyous rider, Frankie
Dettori was eradicating his nightmares and living the dream.
Five lengths separated Authorized from the closest of his 16
rivals in the world-famous classic, but a lot more was left behind for
Dettori, who always claimed his career would not be complete
without a win in the Epsom Derby.
He had 9 increasingly irritating defeats to show for it, so when he
kicked so far clear on the 11/10 favourite that victory was
unavoidable, for him, time must have stood still.
"When I asked him to stretch at the two-furlong pole the response
was electric," Dettori said. "My heart seemed to stop beating at the 1
furlong pole and I had to pinch myself passing the post - it had all
been so easy. I had expected a dog fight, but it was as smooth as an
oil painting."
No quite so smooth, however, for Britain's bookmakers. Nearly 11
years after Dettori cast some of them close to insolvency with his
"Magnificent Seven" (seven straight victories on September 28, 1996)
at Ascot, the 36-year-old ensured a payout estimated at $40-million
(R280m) as the public latched on to another Dettori fairy tale in the
making. (My heart bleeds...)
He was aided by the training skills of Newmarket-based trainer
Peter Chapple-Hyam, who was so jittery that he watched the race
unfold from under a stairwell close to the Epsom weighing room.
Dettori ordered champagne for his fellow jockeys. He shed a tear
during the presentation ceremony when joined on the podium by his
father, Gianfranco, and was applauded by the two Kuwaiti businessmen
who share ownership in Authorized, Saleh al Homaizi and Imad al Sagar.
"This is a dream come true," al Sagar said.
Authorized, who is by Montjeu (Ire) out of the Saumarez (GB) mare
Funsie, (both the Sire and the Grand Sire have strong SA links) might
contest the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Eng-G1) at Sandown on July 7, where
he would pit his status against older horses for the first time.
This magnificent colt crossed the line in a winning time of 2.34:77
for the 2400 meters. His nearest pursuer was Eagle Mountain,
one of the eight runners saddled by Ireland's champion trainer,
Aidan O'Brien.
If this wasn't enough, the affable Frankie then popped over to
France on Sunday and won his 2nd Derby in as many days when he guided
Claudio Marzocco's Lawman to glory in the $2,017,050 (R15m)
Mitsubishi Motors Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) (French Derby) at
Chantilly.
The 36-year-old Italian, who only rode the winner because regular
jockey Olivier Peslier was under contract to ride No Dream for the
Wertheimer family, guided Lawman to a start-to-finish win in the
2,100-meter race.
Living proof that it never rains but it pours...
...till next time.
The G.Man
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