Frankie Dettori: rides Derby hope Christophermarlowe at Epsom

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TWENTY years ago Frankie Dettori teamed up with John Gosden and almost won the Derby. Tamure was denied only in the final strides by Lammtarra but two decades on the old alliance has been restored and Flat racing’s most famous rider is back at Epsom for his old boss to assist an unbeaten colt with an entry in the greatest of all Classics.

Tamure raced in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, butChristophermarlowe, whose second of two career victories came at Epsom, tackles Wednesday’s £50,000 Investec Derby Trial in the rival Coolmore silks of Michael Tabor, who shares a quarter of the 25-1 Derby candidate with Gosden’s wife Rachel Hood.

With Gosden’s most recent stable jockey William Buick – who partnered Christophermarlowe to that Epsom win – having joined Dettori’s former team, Godolphin, the man who steered Authorized to Epsom glory in 2007 has once again become first-choice rider to Gosden, with whom he struck on smart three-year-olds Golden Horn, Star Of Seville and Mr Singh last week.

“I love working for John,” said Dettori, absent from the Derby since 2011. “I have gone full circle and I’m back where I started 20 years ago. I feel relaxed and the horses are running well. Everything is good and I hope it carries on like that.”

Al Shaqab Racing’s in-form British rider added of Christophermarlowe: “He is going all right and I’m looking forward to riding him. 

“He has run twice and won twice but this is by no means the Dante, the Lingfield trial or one of the Chester races. It is one of the smaller trials. You won’t see the sort of horses they will get at York, but it’s a race that gives horses the chance to get a feel for the track. It has good prize-money as well.”

Dettori’s assessment of the race holds up to scrutiny with the last two winners, Our Channel and Mirsaale, having gone to finish 13th and ninth in the Derby, both as 50-1 outsiders.

fonte : RacingPost