FRANKIE’S farewell tour returned to the UK on Tuesday – and it took him just three rides to bag a winner at Newmarket.
Legendary jockey Dettori, 52, coasted home by four lengths on the 10-11 favourite Covey in the seven-furlong maiden race at his local track.
Covey was an easy winner under Dettori at Newmarket
Dettori rode a winner on his return to the UK as he continues his final season in the saddle
He has spent the winter soaking up the Californian sun and riding a load of winners at Santa Anita in LA.
But it looked like his eagerly-anticipated return to these shores was going to get off to an anti-climactic start.
He failed to beat another horse on his first two rides, with the King’s horse and one-time Derby hopeful Reach For The Moon especially disappointing in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes.
Making his seasonal reappearance in first-time blinkers, Dettori let him stride on early doors but he quickly fell in a hole when challenge around two furlongs out.
And he was also out of luck on his first ride of the day, when Unforgotten finished last in the Close Brothers Handicap.
But Covey always looked his best chance on paper, and so it proved out on the race track.
There was a pretty sparse crowd at Flat HQ on day one of the Craven Meeting, but they greeted Dettori with cheers and applause and he responded with a smile and a wave.
But he was feeling the effects of a long flight home from the US – and he only arrived home a couple of hours before racing.
Dettori grinned: “I only got back this morning – I managed to get two hours sleep on the plane and a couple hours in my own bed.
“The good old Newmarket fresh air woke me right up!
“It’s great to be back here with a winner and he looks like a nice horse.
“He is a bit different, to say the least, but he is learning and there was a bit of daylight back to the others which was positive.
“He has got a tendency to hang to his left so I bagged the rail and he was very comfortable.
“There is still plenty to do this year!”
Dettori rides the 2-1 favourite Coppice for John and Thady Gosden in the Nell Gwyn Stakes – a key 1000 Guineas trial – at Newmarket on Wednesday.
