Dettori's Fateful Night
Frankie Dettori's career could have taken a tragic turn after he was caught with cocaine following an Arsenal match, but it turned out to be the "biggest stroke of luck" for the jockey, as revealed by his former boss Luca Cumani.
A Lucky Break
Legendary trainer Cumani, who took a young Dettori under his wing, believes that the incident in 1993 actually saved Dettori from making a career-ending decision. At the time, Dettori had just agreed to a lucrative deal to race in Hong Kong.
Turning Point
In his autobiography, Dettori admitted to buying drugs before and during the football match, and it was when he was outside in an alley that he was arrested and later released under caution. Cumani claims that if Dettori had gone ahead and raced in Hong Kong, his career would have taken a different path.
Parting Ways
After the cocaine incident, Dettori and Cumani went their separate ways, with the jockey signing with horse racing operation Godolphin. However, Dettori's time with Godolphin also ended due to another cocaine positive.
Current and Future Plans
Since then, Dettori has been with trainer John Gosden, although their relationship hit a temporary rough patch last year. Dettori has announced that he will be racing for the final time in Britain later this month, at Ascot's Champions Day on October 21. Rumors suggest that he may also be appearing on reality TV show I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Once he retires, Dettori plans to travel the world with his wife Catherine and rent out his Newmarket mansion for a hefty sum of £15,000 per month.
Looks like Frankie Dettori's luck hasn't run out just yet!
