For Frankie Dettori, come Saturday evening the flying dismounts and unabashed displays of emotions in victory or defeat will be a thing of the past as the great showman retires from European racing, leaving a huge vacuum.
The departure lounge for the 52-year-old Italian could not be more apposite -- Ascot where on September 28, 1996, he was transformed from a top class jockey into superstardom."It took him to a whole new level," Ascot's long serving Director of Racing Nick Smith told AFP."It has been a symbiotic relationship. Ascot has been good for him but he has been ever so slightly helpful for us!" he added laughing.
Dettori's resilience in cheating death in a plane crash in 2000, and bouncing back from a failed doping test in 2012 also earned widespread admiration, though he says of the latter episode"when you are cornered you fight". "We've been through something that you can't explain, put into words, the experience. It was very hard to get out of it, it took me two years.
Dettori had had a miserable few years, falling out with racing powerhouse owners Godolphin after 18 years and a six-month suspension for failing a dope test in France.
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