Fantastic Frankie Delivers Chaldean To Classic Glory

Frankie Dettori’s farewell tour has well and truly started, with the Italian guiding Andrew Balding’s Chaldean to QIPCO 2000 Guineas success on a wet day on the Rowley Mile.

Some would’ve wondered what might’ve been for Dettori when he hit the post earlier in the card, losing out by a head aboard Saga for The King and Queen Consort on Coronation Day. However, Chaldean’s persistence in the Group 1 gave Frankie a fairytale QIPCO 2000 Guineas victory on his last year in the saddle.

No Joy For Coolmore

The pre-race talk had been largely about Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin, who went off favourite, but he didn’t live up to his ‘Triple Crown’ potential when finishing 12th of a field of 14. Oisin Murphy and Hi Royal finished second with huge odds of 125/1, shared most of the running with the winner, before the Juddmonte horse stormed clear of the field. Royal Scotsman who raced keenly, ran an enormous race to finish in third place.

A jubilant Dettori saluted the crowd on his way into the Winners Enclosure, before delivering his iconic Flying Dismount.

It gave Dettori a fourth QIPCO 2000 Guineas victory, who said: “It [the emotion] has really hit me now – I’ve got a lump in my throat. It’s incredible.”

It’s safe to say Chaldean’s prep didn’t quite go to plan, when chucking off Dettori when leaving the stalls in The Greenham Stakes at Newbury. It didn’t look to have an effect with the son of Frankel completing an across-the-card double for trainer Andrew Balding.

The farewell tour is well and truly underway and Dettori will be looking for a famous Guineas double as he takes the ride on Lezoo in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas tomorrow.