FRANKIE DETTORI says he ‘feels like Tom Cruise’ strutting his stuff in front of ‘stupendous’ US fans – and believes he should have moved over there a decade ago.
The world’s most famous jockey bid farewell to Blighty in October last year with one last unforgettable ride.
His last-to-first heroics on King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes came at Ascot – the same track where he became a household name with his Magnificent Seven back in 1996.
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But it is in America where, at the age of 53, he has been given a new lease of life.
With a million dollar smile, infectious personality and the love of the fans, it’s no surprise he says he is feeling like Hollywood royalty.
Speaking of his relocation, which came after he was the first to be voted out of I’m a Celeb… last year, Dettori said: “I should have done this ten years ago.”
He’s currently based at Saratoga racecourse in New York, the city that never sleeps, or, it seems, stops cheering Dettori.
The jockey, who’s won £5million in 2024, said: “The town speaks, eats, and breathes racing. I feel like Tom Cruise walking down the streets. Everyone is calling my name. I love it here.
“To ride every day with 20,000-plus people watching is a novelty. You don’t see that anymore.”
Rumours were rife that Dettori could return to the saddle at June’s Royal Ascot.
Kieran Shoemark has replaced the Italian as the father-and-son training duo John and Thady Gosden’s No1 jockey and, it’s fair to say, found it a tall order to match his predecessor’s heroics.
Case in point being him losing the ride on Dettori’s beloved Inspiral for this weekend’s Jacques Le Marois in Deauville.
But Dettori – who won that French Group 1 on the same mare in 2023 and 2022 – stood by his word and resisted the urge to return at the big summer meeting.
Instead he welcomed Sun Racing Members Enclosure readers to the racecourse and had a glass of bubbly and a chat with them – memories for a lifetime.
All this might seem like the actions of a man edging closer to retirement.
But proud dad-of-five Dettori has no desire to slow down and is continuing at 100mph – and still landing punters huge winning bets.
His agent Ron Anderson told Bloodhorse: “He’s got an enthusiasm that’s infectious.
“He’s positive and upbeat all the time and people love that. The sky is always blue for him. He’s amazing and exciting to be around.
“He loves it here and so does his wife, Catherine. She loves the park. She’s been to the track three times and usually she never goes.
“She and Frankie have fallen into the lifestyle.”
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