As many in the UK were recovering from the Coronation celebrations on the grey and wet Saturday afternoon, crowds flocked to Newmarket to enjoy the first Classics of the flat racing season. The Rowley Mile has long been associated with royalty and the course takes its name from the favourite racehorse of King Charles II, Old Rowley. Many will have backed King Charles III’s horse Saga ridden by Dettori in the Howden Suffolk Stakes at 15:25, but ironically the 8-1 shot was pipped in a photo finish by Charlie Appleby’s King of Conquest.
It was, however, a fairy tale for the king of flat racing Dettori in the big race of the day, the 2000 Guineas, which was pushed back to 16:40. Dettori was riding Andrew Balding’s Chaldean, a colt sired by the great Frankel. Although the early stages of the race were tight, once Chaldean hit the front, it seemed certain only one outcome could happen.
The race for 3-year-olds – along with the 1000 Guineas for 3-year-old fillies run on Sunday – is one of the UK Classics, the oldest and most important races of the country’s flat racing season. The 2000 Guineas is the first race in the Triple Crown (followed by the Epsom Derby and then Doncaster's St Leger) and the 1000 Guineas is the first race in the Fillies’ Triple Crown (followed by the Epsom Oaks and Doncaster's St Leger).
In less than a month, the glorious Epsom Downs Racecourse will be opening its doors for the Epsom Derby Festival (2-3 June). When taking into account those watching the event without tickets from the Epsom Downs, a single day can attract 130,000 people and is considered one of the most prestigious racing fixtures in the world. Friday 2 June will see the running of the Oaks for the fillies, while the Derby will be run on Saturday 3 June.
Having only won the Derby twice in his long career – in 2007 on Authorized and in 2015 on Golden Horn – and the fact it eluded him for so long would suggest the race is the one that has frustrated the Italian-born jockey the most. Indeed, the 52-year-old has had more success in the Oaks, having won in 1994, 1995, 2002, and most recently on his beloved Enable in 2017.
Dettori and the onlookers who have watched and respected his career will hope his farewell tour is full of many more moments like that at Newmarket on Saturday.
