FRANKIE DETTORI has one wish for Royal Ascot — to ride another winner for Her Majesty.
You have to go back to 1996 for his only success at the meeting in the elaborate purple, red and gold silks.
Frankie Dettori is looking forward to a big week at Royal Ascot
And with Reach For The Moon, 51-year-old Dettori might have the best chance he’ll ever get of doubling that tally.
The Italian, who rode his first Royal Ascot winner in 1990, has visited the hallowed winners’ enclosure a whopping 76 times.
Only the Queen’s favourite Lester Piggott could top that.
And the Italian might earn some Royal brownie points of his own if he can steer Reach For The Moon home in front in the Hampton Court Stakes on Thursday.
Dettori said: “If I have one more Royal Ascot winner, I’d love it to be for Her Majesty.
“It’s always a huge honour to ride for her. The thrill is always the same.
“In her Platinum Jubilee year it would be an absolute dream for me to win at Royal Ascot for her.
“Wouldn’t that be fantastic? I think everyone would love it!”
Like the Queen, Reach For The Moon also missed out on a Derby to remember at Epsom last weekend.
But a trip to Royal Ascot remains on the cards for the pair and there is no shortage of Royal runners throughout the five days.
Dettori is hoping to ride another winner for The Queen at Royal Ascot
King’s Lynn, Just Fine and Saga could all give the Royal Box something to cheer about.
But there’s no doubt Reach For The Moon, second on his comeback in the Heron Stakes, is her ace in the pack.
He’s 5-4 favourite for the Hampton Court and Dettori is sweet on his chances.
He said: “Reach For The Moon is a lovely horse.
“He almost gave Her Majesty a win in the Chesham at the Royal meeting last year. We think the world of him.”
Dettori may be in the twilight of his career, but one star who will call it a day at the end of the season is Stradivarius.
John Gosden’s brilliant stayer has three Gold Cups to his name and will have one more crack at matching the four wins achieved by Yeats — albeit not in consecutive years.
Last year’s runaway victor Subjectivist is missing and Stradivarius silenced any old-age doubters with a smooth win on his return in the Yorkshire Cup last month.
Dettori is praying the eight-year-old will get a hero’s welcome, especially if he can win a famous fourth Gold Cup.
Stradivarius will be chasing his fourth Gold Cup at Ascot this week
He said: “Enable was denied a farewell from the crowd because of Covid restrictions in 2020.
“But I’m sure when Strad gets to Ascot, it will be quite emotional, to ride the same horse in five Gold Cups is unique.
“It will be wonderful to give him a good farewell.
“I’m sure it will be his last Ascot and after that it will probably only be the Goodwood Cup.
“I will be excited but emotional when I cross the line and I will be very sad afterwards. I know it will be very emotional for me.
“Obviously Strad is the one I am most looking forward to, the most emotional ride no question.” Stradivarius may be bowing out, but evergreen Dettori’s supply of stars from the Gosden production line shows no sign of drying up.
How many Royal Ascots racing’s great showman has left is anyone’s guess. He added: “Jockeys have to put in their licence application and they ask how many years have you been riding.
“I write 35 — it’s ridiculous! Half those boys in the weighing room weren’t even born 35 years ago.
“But once you’re in there, there is no age. It is a timeless place, the weighing room. We all talk the same language.
“John is great to me. He doesn’t make me go up and down the country and I enjoy it. I’m going to make the most of it.”
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