Frankie Dettori ignored the effects of a damaged toe from his traumatic experience at Ascot to help the Godolphin team secure a one-two in the Goodwood Cup.
The Italian was thrown to the turf when Rewilding suffered a fatal injury in last weekend’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and his impediment robbed the crowd of one of his flying dismounts.
Dettori was helping Opinion Poll to improve on his second place to Fame And Glory in the Ascot Gold Cup and the 9-2 favourite got home just a head in front of Lost In The Moment.
It was notable Opinion Poll and Lost In The Moment hail from separate parts of Sheikh Mohammed’s operation, with winning trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni continuing his habit of usurping his supposed senior Saeed bin Suroor.
By all accounts it is simply a friendly rivalry within a bigger picture, as Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford explained.
“Frankie is available to both stables and the horses are split between the two,” he said.
“Both trainers are Dubai nationals, and the idea is that they both want to win major races around the world.
“They support each other and want each other to win.
“All credit to Frankie. He has a hairline fracture in his toe, but he would have hated to miss Goodwood and he is performing at the highest level.”
Dettori had sat patiently as Overturn went to a large lead, but the pattern of the race changed as Opinion Poll burst through and his victory only looked in jeopardy in the final stages as the pack closed.
Dettori, who said he would “most definitely” have rested this week if it was not Glorious Goodwood, reported: “The toe’s just sore, but there’s nothing you can do.
“He was pulling up in front at the end but he’s an honest horse and never runs a bad race.
“I took him on the outside and got him going in plenty of time and, as it happened, I was there plenty early enough.”
The rider was given a two-day ban (August 11-12) for using the whip with excessive frequency.
“We were a little worried about the drying ground because he prefers it a little softer,” Crisford said.
“I’d imagine the new two-mile (3200m) championship at Ascot in October (British Champions Long Distance Cup) would be tailor-made for him.
“Lost In the Moment ran a great race. He’s in the Ebor and we’ll have a look at that.”
PA AAP TURF
