Born in Milan, Lanfranco ‘Frankie’ Dettori was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps (Gianfranco) who was a 13-time Champion Jockey in his native Italy.

Aged 13, Frankie left school and became an apprentice jockey and a year later moved to Great Britain to continue apprenticeship with Newmarket-based trainer Luca Cumani. It was for Cumani that Dettori notched up his first winner, guiding Lizzy Hare to success at Goodwood on 9thJune 1987.

In 1990, Dettori became the first teenager since Lester Piggott to ride more than 100 winners in a season, which included two principal wins in the Queen Anne Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Race course.

It was the same track which, on 28thSeptember 1996, Dettori would win each of the seven races on one the year’s most competitive racedays at Ascot. With punters queuing up to back his rides throughout the day, the victories cost the bookmaking industry £30million. The feat is known world-wide as The Magnificent Seven.

During his British career Frankie retained his Championship status in 1994, 1995 and 2004.

Despite all his success, it took Frankie 15 attempts to win his first ever Epsom Derby in 2007, steering Authorized to glory. It would be another eight years before he won the world’s most famous race again on Golden Horn in 2015 for trainer John Gosden.

There are rarely any cheers on a racecourse louder than when Frankie crosses the line in front and on21stOctober 2023 Ascot Racecourse erupted when the skilful Dettori rode King of Steel to victory in the QIPCO British Champions Stakes–marking his final ride ever in the UK. Frankie remains one of the greatest jockeys that the sport has ever seen.

Now enjoying a revitalised career in America, Frankie has certainly made an impression with a headline grabbing feat of six consecutive wins at Santa Anita. The international circuit suits this warm-blooded Italian and long may he continue to the delights of racing fans around the world.