FRANKIE, come on, this is getting Absurde.
Racing’s very own Benjamin Button is absolutely flying at the ripe old age of 52.
He is the ultimate confidence jockey and when he gets on one of his rolls he is nye-on impossible to stop.
And he was certainly in the mood at York on Saturday, winning the two feature races and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
They say all elite athletes should go out at the top… but how about when you are still the benchmark?
He has been the dominant force in this sport for 30 plus years and there is no suggestion whatsoever that his powers are beginning to wane.
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So much so that his win on Willie Mullins’ Absurde in the Ebor was arguably the ride of the week at York… three days after his other ride of the week contender on Mostahdaf.
There were shades of his epic Arc-winning ride on Golden Horn this time, as he charted a wide course in the early part of the race before gradually joining the rest of the field.
By keeping the 7-1 shot wide early, he was able to slot him in exactly where he wanted, and swinging for home Frankie was in the box seat.
How many times have we said that over the years?
He decided to launch his challenge up the stands rail but it looked for all the world that he would be swallowed up in the final half furlong.
But Dettori had kept something up his sleeve and lifted the horse home from the well-backed favourite Sweet William to win by half a length.
Dettori said: “I can’t believe it. I could see Rab Havlin coming to get me on my outside but my horse has picked up again.
“It’s been an incredible week and I’m signing off at York with a win in the Ebor – amazing.
“Willie is a brilliant trainer – maybe I will keep going until Cheltenham!”
Now that would be some sight, wouldn’t it? Willie would probably be up for it.
Mullins said: “Frankie has shown us what he can do. I thought we were beaten half a furlong out, I don’t know where Frankie got the energy from to get him back up.
“He somehow pulled it out of the fire, what a remarkable jockey.”
Frankie’s win in Europe’s richest handicap came hot on the heels of his win on his ‘little cash machine’ Kinross in the City Of York Stakes.
The Italian says the Ralph Beckett-trained six-year-old is his favourite horse in training and, with 10 wins and £1.5 million in earnings – you can understand why.
Dettori, who paraded the horse in front of the stands and waved goodbye to the York crowd, said: “What a horse he is, he is so consistent.
“I said he is my little cash machine and he is, he never runs a bad race and he is probably the best in the world over seven furlongs.
“I’ve some great memories at York, from Lochsong through to Enable and Stradivarius, I don’t know who is writing my scripts!”
Neither do we, but they deserve a pay rise.
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