Frankie Dettori continues to “wow” the racing world in his final year in the saddle dubbed Frankie’s Fanfare by Past the Wire as they chronicle the legendary jockey’s history making wins
Frankie Dettori, he does it again in his Frankie’s Fanfare year this time in Hungary
Frankie Dettori sporting Juddmonte’s silks. (JTW Equine Images)
By Michaela Moricova
In his last season, Frankie Dettori ventured to Hungary, where he piloted home a pair of horses owned by Mrs. Fitri Hay. The pink and green combination is quite well-known in the UK as in the past, she owned a G1 winner Here Comen When, and in June, Khadeem let the colors shine at Royal Ascot when winning the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
On September 2, Frankie bagged two Hungarian Graded races and delivered an unforgettable experience to everybody visiting the Kincsem Park in Budapest on that very day.
Silent but Deadly
At first, Ian Williams saddled five-year-old Silent Film for Frankie Dettori in the local Grade 2 race over a mile. The Imperiál Díj is open to three-year-old and older horses. Silent Film posed as a favorite here, given he placed several times in British handicaps, also in Meydan, and scored a handicap in Bahrain in 2022. The son of New Approach had a good start, galloped on the outside but always close to the leaders, and once the chestnut hit the final stretch, he answered to Frankie’s cue. Although Silent Film didn’t always look happy, he easily equaled his stable-mate Sceptic (Rebeka) and then smoothly grabbed the first place. He crossed the line in 1:33:9, with Andrew Balding’s Sceptic running in second, beaten by four lengths. A Hungarian horse, Light Blue Sky, ran in third while ridden by a Czech jockey, Tomáš Lukášek, a winner of a Malaysian Derby.
Splendid Splendent
Kincsem Díj is one of the most treasured races in Hungary. It’s run over a mile and four furlongs and is open to three-year-old and older horses. The local Grade 1 event also welcomed British raiderd, including Splendent, trained by Paul and Oliver Cole. The four-year-old bay finished sixth in a Class 2 handicap in Goodwood last time out, but he effortlessly made amends for that in the Kincsem Díj. Frankie Dettori prepared him a comfortable race as Splendent galloped in second, seized the front in the final stretch, and won by three and half a length in 2:27:1.
“We had a good start, and when I got halfway around the turn, I kicked for home as I wanted to make sure 2,400 meters was 2,400 meters as he just gallops all day,” said Frankie to attheraces.com after his second victory of the day. “We have given the public what they wanted, and this could open more doors to Hungarian racing.”
Mrs Fitri Hay and her husband Jim had two runners in the Kincsem Díj, but they didn’t manage a one-two result this time as Tides of War (Rebeka) snatched up only third place. The second place stayed at home thanks to brilliantly going Agreement, trained in Hungary by Csontos Pál and ridden by a legend of the Hungarian racing, Stanislav Georgiev.
Our One on One Frankie Dettori interview:
