Frankie Dettori looks ahead to the Arc, Champions Day and more

Ladbrokes ambassador Frankie Dettori talks to us about Enable, Too Darn Hot and his upcoming schedule in his latest blog.

Enable excitement

Before her comeback at Kempton, I rode most of her work for the last month.  We had such a dry summer so we weren’t able to gallop her on the grass. We went on the polytrack instead over no more than 7f to a mile.

Despite doing some work and her weight being more or less her racing weight, until you try a mile-and-a-half, you can never be sure. Taking on a competitive horse like Crystal Ocean who is race fit, was always going to test her a little bit. Yet she showed to me that she hasn’t lost her enthusiasm for racing. I was really impressed by her comeback.

I wasn’t the only one who was so happy to see her though. The racing public have been cheated of her brilliance this year and hopefully we can try to do it again in the Arc.

I am feeling good about it. As I said, her comeback race was good. She is trying a new track but she seems very versatile. Looking at the trials, the Irish Champions Stakes and so forth, the one I fear the most is the William Haggas filly Sea Of Class. She’s a Classic winner and was very impressive at York. She will be very dangerous.

Even though I have won the race five times, I would love to win it again. I regard it as one of the best races in the world.

Champions Day

Given the past few years, I suspect we will have soft ground and it’s a possibility that Cracksman will go and defend his crown. We know he likes a bit of soft ground and I think he will be very exciting.

I think Lah Ti Dar might come for the Fillies and Mares race and of course we will hopefully see Stradivarius too – three exciting horses to look forward to riding.

International season

I love the Breeders Cup; it is my favourite of the international meetings. I did four winters in California when I was young and I got a bit of American culture. The meeting has a Ryder Cup feel to it with the Americans against Europe. It does get my back up and a bit like Ian Poulter, I can get all aggressive!

I usually go out a few days earlier and soak up the atmosphere. I am good friends with Wesley Ward which is great. I love it all.

If I have rides at both the Breeders Cup and the Melbourne Cup, there is a lot of travelling but the adrenaline kicks in and keeps you going. I have done it a few times now and know how to prepare myself.

I think after Arc and Champions Day, I will try and gather a team and I am sure we will have something exciting lined up.

Too Darn Hot

When there are horses like Too Darn Hot, I can’t afford to retire! I don’t look as far ahead as the Guineas. I rode him twice at Sandown and although he looks very good on the eye, you don’t get the feel of the horse because of the steepness of the track. Riding him at Doncaster on the flat track, I was able to feel that he was a pretty special two-year-old. What he did between the three furlong and one furlong point, bridging that gap so quickly and passing them out, was very exciting. You can only be visually impressed.

The Dewhurst is the next step and will give us another pointer as to where we are at.

Frankie