Frankie Dettori ‘so happy’ as Royal Ascot set to welcome back crowds of 12,000 punters in June

LEGENDARY jockey Frankie Dettori is ‘so happy’ that Royal Ascot will open it’s doors to crowds of 12,000 next month.

The five-day festival, which begins on June 15, has been selected as a pilot event by the government.

Frankie Dettori is over the moon that crowds of 12,000 will return to Ascot in JuneDettori is the second most successful jockey at Royal Ascot – behind only Lester Piggott

The track had previously announced that they were planning for a maximum crowd of just 4,000.

But talks have been ongoing and Royal Ascot has now been chosen alongside an England cricket Test match as the latest to trial the return of larger crowds at sports events.

A crowd of 12,000 punters would be the biggest on a racecourse since the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, which was the final big meeting held before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in March last year.

Dettori is synonymous with the Royal meeting, having ridden 73 winners during his career, and he can’t wait to perform his trademark flying dismount in front of racegoers.

Dettori said: “It’s unbelievable news, and I’m so happy. There’s nothing better than Royal Ascot with people.

“I know it’s not 60,000 – but it’s better than what we thought. Well done to everybody involved that made it possible.

“Last year I was leading rider at Royal Ascot and won three Group 1s, including the Gold Cup, and later in the year I won the King George. To have nobody there to see any of that, it was like someone had cut my arm off.

“Those are the biggest races we’ve got here, and I won them in front of empty grandstands. It goes without saying it wasn’t the same, so I’m so happy at this news – it will put a smile on everybody’s face.”

Ascot chief Guy Henderson added: “We are delighted that Royal Ascot has been accepted to play its part in the next phase of the Government’s Events Research Programme.

“We much look forward to welcoming 12,000 racegoers each day.

“Our thanks go to our industry bodies, the British Horseracing Authority and the Racecourse Association, which led the preparation of the submission to Government.”

Julie Harrington, chief executive of the BHA, also welcomed the news.

She said: “It is excellent news that Ascot will be included in the Events Research Programme as a pilot event.

“It is an opportunity to demonstrate how racing events are perfectly suited to safely hosting spectators in greater numbers as we progress through the Government’s roadmap for the easing of lockdown restrictions.

“We are grateful to DCMS and this outcome reflects the strong and positive relationship between racing and Government.

“Working with colleagues we will ensure that our participants remain protected to the same degree that has been achieved with racing’s bespoke coronavirus protocols since resumption in June 2020.”

Racing fans who rolled over their booking from 2020 will be able to be accommodated on course.

And an allocation of Royal Enclosure badges and general admission tickets to the Queen Anne enclosure will go on sale this Friday.

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