Dubai: Twenty years since he landed his first English 2,000 Guineas (G1) for former employers Godolphin, Frankie Dettorie demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the finest big-race riders in the world when delivering a supreme performance aboard Galileo Gold to win Saturday’s renewal of the first Classic of the English season.
Dettori’s first success in the contest came aboard the Saeed Bin Surour-trained Mark Of Esteem in 1996 and followed it up with a victory with Island Sands in 1999, rolled back the years to record an emphatic 1 ½ length victory over Massaat, the mount of Paul Hanagan, with Godolphin’s Ribchester two lengths back in third.
Red-hot favourite Air Force Blue, bidding to given top Irish handler Aidan O’Brien a record eighth success in the colt’s Classic was fifth and Godolphin’s leading hope Buratino, sixth.
Hugo Palmer, who trained Galileo Gold for owners Al Shaqab Racing, was delighted to win a first English Classic and said: “He’s quite a horse. No hard luck stories, it was a masterful ride by Frankie and Galileo Gold was a willing partner.
“(He’s) a seriously exciting horse to take with us for the rest of the year.
“When you come to a big race you come with confidence, otherwise you don’t come at all.
“He’s a beautiful horse who has just got better and better and better. You have to have to work with him and not against him. But he’s rewarded us.”
Dettori added: “I had a lot of faith in this horse. I knew I’d be in the first three. He’s a great horse. My main thought was that he stays very well and I knew if I made my may home, he’d gallop on strong.
“He took my breath away. We had a wide draw but today he did it all on his own and showed what a good champion he can be.
“I’m convinced he can get a mile and a quarter he’s definitely good enough to run in the Derby.”
Reminded that his father, Gianfranco Dettori had won the 2000 Guineas back in 1975 aboard Bolkonski, the Italian responded: “Dad 40 years ago, me for the first time 20 years ago, this doesn’t get better.”
Commenting on Air Force Blue, Aidan O’Brien commented: “Ryan (Moore) said he just didn’t feel like the same horse as last year.”
Earlier, Exosphere took the step up in class in his stride as he emerged as an impressive winner of the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes as Godolphin’s Jack Hobbs was pulled up by his rider William Buick in the final furlong.
Jack Hobb’s trainer John Gosden commented: “It’s a bit of a mystery, but we’ll get him checked over.”
Godolphin’s Jungle Cat ran a big race under William Buick but was narrowly denied victory in the Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes which was won by Adam Kirby and Profitable Charlie Appleby said of the runner-up: “Six is his trip as he just catches him out between the two and the one. He was flat to the boards but he stayed on nicely.
“He’s in at York but I think we’ll wait for Ascot, that will be his main aim.”
