Frankie Dettori eyes final Longchamp win

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Frankie Dettori eyes final Longchamp win, but not in the big race as he admits he is up against it on Free Wind, who is yet to win at Group One level

  • The Italian is trying to add to his six wins in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
  • Free Wind has won three Group Two races but hasn’t had success in Group One
  • Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here

Frankie Dettori concedes he is up against it as he tries to add to his record six wins in Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on outsider Free Wind.

But the 52-year-old, who will be riding in France for the final time this weekend before he retires, is hopeful he can come away from Longchamp with a final Group One win courtesy of Kinross in Sunday’s Prix de la Foret.

Betfair make Free Wind a 20-1 shot on the back of her head second to subsequent Prix Vermeille winner Warm Heart in the Yorkshire Oaks. While Free Wind has won three Group Two races, she has yet to win at Group One level.

A positive for Free Wind is her inside draw in stall three but Dettori says her running style might make it difficult to take advantage of that.

The Italian said: ‘She is in good form but she has never won a Group One race and has a lot to find. There are six horses rated better than her. We are 20-1 for a reason so I am not going to hype it up but we’ll do our best. If I can get a place it will be great. The draw helps but she is slow away so I’ll have to take my medicine and get as good a position as I can.

Frankie Dettori has admitted he is up against it when he races at Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France

The 52-year-old will be racing in the country for the final time before his retirement in November later this year

Dettori’s first ride in the Arc was in 1988. He has ridden in all bar two since then. A broken ankle forced him to miss the winning ride on Treve in 2013 and his 2021 ride Love became a non-runner.

Dettori has eight rides at the two-day meeting, including Aidan O’Brien-trained Emily Dickinson in today’s Prix du Cadran and Kinross, a horse he has won on seven times and who will try to repeat his 2022 win in the Foret.

Reflecting on what will be his last appearance at the Arc meeting, Dettori added: ‘I just hope Kinross saves me! I can rely on him but there are only so many times I can ask him to perform. I’ve won six Arcs and every group race at the meeting. Apart from Ascot, it is my favourite track. I am looking forward to it but I’ll be sad.

‘I will have to bring all my French tack back to England afterwards and it means it’s really over when I am taking my saddles back!’

Bookmakers have reported sustained Arc support for unbeaten favourite Ace Impact, who is 5-2 with Betfair, while O’Brien’s St Leger winner Continuous is now the 11-2 second favourite.

The veteran will be riding Free Wind, who has won three Group Two races but has never seen victory at Group One level

Meanwhile, Dettori needs just one more win to make it 500 at Newmarket following a sole success from his four rides at the track on Friday.

Dettori has ridden 281 winners on the Rowley Mile and 218 on the July course.

Dettori, successful on the Rowley Mile on Thursday with Trawlerman, won on board Coppice for John and Thady Gosden in the Listed Rosemary Stakes.

There are only three possible meetings left for Dettori to ride at the HQ of British Flat racing.

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