Frankie Dettori ends 25-year wait for Betfred Ebor

Published on 27/08/2012 03:47

Frankie Dettori’s delight at finally winning the Betfred Ebor on Willing Foe dominated the racing pictures at the weekend.

The Italian had not managed to lift the famous old handicap in more than 20 years of trying, and he was so pleased he aped the celebrations of Mo Farah’s ‘Mobot’ and Usain Bolt’s ‘Lightning Bolt’ poses as well as treating a huge Knavesmire crowd to his own trademark flying dismount.

Godolphin’s Willing Foe, a 12-1 shot, only finished a neck up on Irish raider Royal Diamond after a hard battle which saw Dettori receiving a ban totalling six days for careless riding and his use of the whip.

“It’s taken 25 years but my day has come,” said Dettori. “I didn’t have many boxes to tick, but this was one of them.”

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor suggested the winner could now join his Melbourne Cup team.

The final day of the Knavesmire’s feature meeting saw William Buick notch another valuable double, helping Irish horse Gordon Lord Byron take the Betfred City Of York Stakes and then giving veteran trainer John Dunlop a welcome boost through Times Up in the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup.

There was even time for another Ladbrokes St Leger candidate to appear, with William Haggas’ lightly-raced Guarantee winning the Betfred Melrose Stakes in style.