Royal Ascot review: Frankie Dettori rides a sensational four-timer
Written by News on 20/06/2019
Frankie Dettori sent shockwaves through racing when winning the first four races at Royal Ascot and was narrowly denied a five-timer.
The hugely-popular Italian kicked off his day with Al’Ali in the Norfolk Stakes for Simon Crisford, before winning the Hampton Court aboard the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Sangarius and the Ribblesdale Stakes with John Gosden’s Star Catcher.
It was then all eyes on the Gold Cup, where Dettori again emerged victorious through Gosden’s defending champion Stradivarius.
With two races left to be run, bookmakers were quaking with memories of Dettori’s ‘Magnificent Seven’, when he went through the card to win all seven races at Ascot in September 1996, very much to the fore.
But the winning run at Royal Ascot came to a halt when Turgenev went down all guns blazing at the hooves of Biometric in the Britannia Handicap.
With two furlongs to run he was two lengths clear on Gosden’s charge and the crowd was collectively holding its breath as history beckoned. However, Ralph Beckett’s Biometric came with a sustained run from the rear under Harry Bentley to spoil the party.
The winner was having just his fourth run and was winning for the third time – providing the bookmakers with huge respite given Turgenev was available at 20-1 in some places this morning and returned 7-2.
Dettori said: “20 years ago I would have won that! He was 16-1 this morning, went off favourite and he gave me a great spin. I’ve had a good day so I’m not going to cry.”
Asked if he knew Dettori was in front, Bentley said: “I did actually. I’ve probably upset a few people there. I’m probably not the most popular winner of the day.”
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(c) Sky News 2019: Royal Ascot review: Frankie Dettori rides a sensational four-timer
