‘Frankie factor’ has bookmakers on red alert

Frankie Dettori fever is set to hit Royal Ascot and the famous Italian links up with the King and Queen on day one as he prepares to ride at the summer showpiece for the very last time.

The 52-year-old is planning to hang up his boots at the end of the season, and has five glorious days ahead to add to the 77 winners he has amassed at the Royal fixture, at the venue where he famously rode his ‘Magnificent Seven’ back in 1996 that helped make him a household name.

As well as the King and Queen’s Saga in the Wolferton Stakes, who bookmaker Bet Victor expects to be a popular choice of punters thanks to the ‘Frankie factor’, Dettori will resume his partnership with 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean in the feature St James’s Palace Stakes as the layers predict an avalanche of cash for his six opening-day rides.

“It’s early, but we are already seeing interest in all of Frankie’s rides this week,” said Sam Boswell of Bet Victor.

“While we will be praying Frankie doesn’t do the unthinkable and kick the meeting off with six winners, it’s hard to not see him at least be off the mark on day one.

“We suspect Saga could end up going even skinner once the more causal punters see him teaming up to ride for the King in the Wolferton Stakes.”

Last year’s Coronation Stakes winner Inspiral could get Dettori’s day off to the perfect start when the duo go for back-to-back Royal Ascot victories, this time in the opening Queen Anne Stakes, while he has been booked for Jessica Harrington’s unbeaten two-year-old Givemethebeatboys in the Coventry Stakes.

Dettori will also link up with Willie Mullins through Absurde in the concluding Copper Horse Handicap and will be aboard John Ryan’s course-and-distance winner Manaccan as he bids to win the King’s Stand Stakes for the first time since 1994.

But one man Dettori will be without this year is old ally Wesley Ward, with the American handler explaining why he has elected to use his own riders this time around.

He said: “It is Royal Ascot and Frankie is my man at Royal Ascot, but these American jockeys love to come to Ascot. It doesn’t interfere with their daily racing. Tuesday, because there’s no racing in America, Wednesday there’s no racing in America and Thursday is just an average day.

“The ones that are riding the horses are doing everything they can to try to come over here, to try to be competitive and be part of the Royal Ascot experience.”

Only Lester Piggott has registered more Royal Ascot winners than Dettori, but despite a strong book of rides, the Italian finds himself only the second-favourite behind Ryan Moore in Paddy Power’s leading rider market.

Spokesman Paul Binfield said: “I suppose the 2023 racing season will always be remembered as Frankie’s year, as in his retirement season he’s already scooped two Classics and who knows what miracles he’ll achieve at Royal Ascot?

“But while it is true that currently a trio of his first-day mounts in the shape of Chaldean, Givemethebeatboys and Manaccan have been supported again, surprisingly he’s a drifter in the top pilot market with Ryan Moore being backed as if defeat is out of the question.”