Dettori Steals Winter Derby on Dubai Warrior

Frankie Dettori came off the ski slopes to give his rivals the slip in the Betway Winter Derby (G3) Feb. 22 at Lingfield when steering second choice Dubai Warrior to a scintillating all-the-way success.

Much of the pre-race chat surrounded who was likely to make the pace for 8-13 favorite Bangkok, who won the listed Winter Derby Trial in stylish fashion three weeks prior.

Still in his pomp at 49, however, Dettori soon provided the answer by sending John Gosden's 13-8 chance straight to the front and was not for catching after getting into a great rhythm down the back straight.

Silvestre de Sousa moved Bangkok within striking distance of Dubai Warrior running down the hill, but the race was over when Dettori asked the eventual winner to quicken again off the bend. 

Bangkok weakened into third, with the winners' stablemate, Court House, bagging the runner-up berth for the second year running.

Dettori, who was scoring on his first domestic ride of 2020, won the winter feature for a fourth time. He said: "I left my family behind on the ski slopes, but it's kept me in shape, and it's great to ride a winner on my first ride back.

"I didn't want a game of cat and mouse for Dubai Warrior so decided to let him bowl along, and it worked out well. He's a strong horse with a long stride who is learning all the time. Hopefully, it's onwards to the Easter Classic after that."

Dubai Warrior, a 4-year-old son of Dansili, was cut to 4-5 (from 2-1) by sponsors Betway for the April 10 Easter Classic, and Bangkok is 5-2 (from 6-4).

Gosden, who won his second Winter Derby following the success of Wissahickon last year, said: "Dubai Warrior has never led in his life, but if there was no pace on, we thought we'd give it a go.

"He's not the sort of horse to be held up, and this is not his favorite track, but Frankie judged it right. The horse has really grown up a lot in recent months and is more professional. After that, it makes sense to have a look at the Easter Classic."

Kieran O'Neill, who rode runner-up Court House, said: "He's run a great race as he usually does here. I was upsides Bangkok down the back straight, and he was pretty lit up, so I thought he might not get home and I managed to get back up for second."

Andrew Balding, the trainer of Bangkok, is not ruling out another crack at the winner in the Easter Classic back at the track next month. He commented: "There are no excuses. He may have been a little keen, but he ran his race, and fair play to the winner."