Frankie Dettori booted Mighty Ulysses to victory for John Gosden at Newmarket – and laughed: “Maybe I needed a sabbatical!”
The win, in the Listed Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, came on the Italian’s first mount for Gosden’s Clarehaven stable since Royal Ascot – the pair have since had a well-publicised split before getting back together – 20 days ago.
“Maybe John was right and I needed a sabbatical!” said Dettori. “I would be the first one to say I probably had the worst Ascot in my 35-year career. “I am 51 and John is 71. We are not kids any more. We sorted things out – what is pas is past and I’m glad I had a winner on my first ride back for him.
“It would have been a shame to end it like that. I have known John for 30 years and will be forever grateful for what he has done for me, as a friend and for my career.
"What was said will remain behind closed doors and stay between us. We had to iron a few things out, but that’s in the past. Leaving the first meeting (of reconciliation between the pair) I didn’t think this would be happening, but we had another go at it.
“We’re still friends and he even gave me a rose (from Sir Henry Cecil’s garden)!"
On Mighty Ulysses, Dettori said: “He’s a horse who likes to come from behind, but when I was looking at the race this morning I could only see one possible pace angle.
"I wanted to be a bit handy as I knew it was going to be a sprint finish and for a minute Jason Watson headed me (on Berkshire Shadow), but at least it worked out and he knuckled down.
“He’s a work in progress, but we haven’t had a proper run at it. We overpitched him in the St James’s Palace, but he wasn’t disgraced. He’ll be interesting next year."
Richard Hannon will aim Persian Force at the highest level after the Coventry Stakes runner-up produced a dominant display to land odds of 1-2 in the Group 2 Close Brothers July Stakes.
