Frankie Dettori
Jockey Frankie Dettori says Investec Derby favourite Golden Horn ‘didn’t turn a hair’ as he faced up to the famously tricky contours of Epsom racecourse for the first time.
The 2015 Investec Derby Festival, which sees the 236th running of the Investec Derby, takes place on Friday and Saturday, June 5 & 6.
Dettori rode the unbeaten colt, trained by John Gosden for owner/breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, in a light workout at a ‘Breakfast With The Stars’ event at the track last week.
The impressive winner of the often-significant Dante Stakes at York was joined by Gosden’s Dante runner-up Jack Hobbs and Epsom Oaks hopes Star Of Seville and Jazzi Top on the familiarising trip.
Dettori, who said Golden Horn saves his best for racedays, told BBC Sport: “It was only an exercise round Tattenham Corner and he seemed to handle it really well.
“He’s a very laid-back character – he needs a crowd to rev him up. He didn’t turn a hair, and it’s going well.”
Because of a lack of big-race mounts, Golden Horn is Dettori’s first ride for four years in a race he has won once – at his 15th attempt, on Authorized in 2007.
And the three-time champion jockey, 44, admitted he’s feeling the pressure – as he did eight years ago.
He said: “I won’t be sleeping for a while, until Derby day.
“Before Authorized, because it was one that had eluded me for so many years and I wanted to win so badly, I did have some sleepless nights for a long while before the race.
“This year, I’m older and wiser, and I’ve been there before, and trying to take it in my stride, but the Derby’s the Derby.”
To my suggestion it was surprising somebody with a reputation as an unflappable showman as well as a top jockey should suffer from nerves, he added: “You can ask why the footballers get excited at the FA Cup final or Formula 1 drivers at the Monaco Grand Prix.
“It’s a big thing for us, and it doesn’t get any bigger than the Derby.”
With his horse not originally entered for the mile-and-a-half Classic, Oppenheimer – who’d been convinced a quarter mile shorter would suit Golden Horn best – will pay a £75,000 supplementary (late) entry fee.
Jack Hobbs is also set to line up after pleasing the Gosden team with the manner in which he breezed around the famous track under jockey William Buick.
Long History
Posh – Joey and Fee Ramsden seen at Epsom 2012
The Epsom Downs racecourse is the venue for the most famous Flat race in the world, the Group One Investec Derby, which takes place on the first Saturday in June every year.
With a history dating back to 1780, the roll of honour for the premier British Classic is studded with the names of the greatest horses to have graced the English turf.
The Investec Derby Festival also features the Investec Oaks and the Investec Coronation Cup, both also run over the Derby course of one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards, for fillies and older horses respectively.
The Investec Derby and Investec Oaks, two of the five British Classics, are for three-year-olds, with the former open to colts and fillies and the latter to fillies.
Investec started backing the Investec Derby Festival in 2009 and three years later announced the extension of the sponsorship for a further 10 years up to and including 2021.
Thanks to www.bbc.com – additional by SP editorial staff
