Frankie Dettori is excited about his return to racing after a 3-1/2 month stint on the sidelines through injury.
The popular jockey has been out since early October when he suffered a fractured ankle in a fall before the start of a race at Nottingham.
The three-time champion jockey, the retained rider for Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, has been booked to partner the Jeremy Noseda-trained Gone With The Wind at Lingfield on Wednesday.
“I’m very excited about coming back after Nottingham. I’m going to have my first ride on Wednesday and then I’m flying to Dubai, where I’ve got a ride on Thursday,” Dettori told Press Association Sport.
“I’ve been off for over three and a half months and I’m mad keen to start again.
“The leg is good, all’s good. It’s only the middle of January, but slowly, slowly we’ll start. I’ve got the year ahead of me and let’s hope for a better year than last year.”
Dettori’s agent Ray Cochrane is hoping to get him more rides at Lingfield before the jockey flies out to ride at the Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan.
He will be going there to partner Mshawish for Sheikh Joaan, who owns the brilliant Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve.
“It’s early days. I’ve asked for a couple of others at Lingfield, so we’ll see,” Cochrane said.
“He’s definitely back on Wednesday then he’s going to Dubai to ride Mshawish for Mikel Delzangles.
Dettori’s injury ruled him out of the winning ride aboard Treve in Europe’s premier middle-distance race at Longchamp four days later.
He feels it is far too early to be thinking about riding the Criquette Head-Maarek-trained champion, officially rated last year’s joint-best horse in the world, and wants to concentrate solely on getting back in the saddle.
“It’s only the middle of January, so let’s take one step at a time. I’m only thinking of starting off and starting off well and getting my fitness to 100 per cent,” Dettori said.
“I don’t think we’ll see Treve until the summer, so that’s miles away from right now.”
