Palace Pier is the best miler I have ridden, enthuses Frankie Dettori

FRANKIE Dettori hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he’s ever ridden after claiming back-to-back victories in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville.
Frankie Dettori has hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he's ever ridden following the horse's latest high-profile success in France.Frankie Dettori has hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he's ever ridden following the horse's latest high-profile success in France.
Frankie Dettori has hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he's ever ridden following the horse's latest high-profile success in France.

FRANKIE Dettori hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he’s ever ridden after claiming back-to-back victories in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

This was the horse’s third consecutive Group One win this summer following victories in Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes and then the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

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Dettori’s moount just had enough in hand to hold off 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare who, as a three-year-old, was in receipt of a six-pound weight allowance from his older rivals.

Frankie Dettori has hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he's ever ridden following the horse's latest high-profile success in France.Frankie Dettori has hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he's ever ridden following the horse's latest high-profile success in France.
Frankie Dettori has hailed Palace Pier as the best miler that he's ever ridden following the horse's latest high-profile success in France.

And the evergreen Dettori was suitably impressed with the performance of Palace Pier who was just short of peak fitness as John and Thady Gosden eye Qipco Champions Day at Ascot in October.

He said: “I love the horse - he’s the best miler I’ve rode [sic]. He’s beautiful and he’s got everything - pace, a turn of foot and goes on any ground.

“We were rushing to get him here today. He’s missed a bunch of work and we got him here on 80 per cent.

“He’s just so good and got away with it.”

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He added: “I kept an eye on Kevin [Manning, on Poetic Flare] and when he kicked I went after him. I basically raced on my own for the last 200 metres and passed him good, but Kevin came back and fought back.

“Like I said he [Palace Pier] is so good and just keeps on doing it.

“Apart from losing a shoe and getting a bad start in the QEII last year, he’s done nothing wrong. He’s a joy to ride and a joy to be around.”

The win sets Dettori, 50, up for this week’s Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival where his rides are set to include Stradivarius in the Lonsdale Cup on Friday.

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The champion stayer was beaten by Mark Johnston’s Subjectivist in the Ascot Gold Cup and it remains to be seen if he is the force of old.

Meanwhile Justanotherbottle provided Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan with a first ever win in the William Hill Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.

Ryan, who made his name earlier in his career by winning big sprint handicaps like the Ayr Gold Cup, had surprisingly failed to land the biggest race of the season at one of his local tracks.

Ryan reached for the blinkers for the first time for the seven-year-old, and they clearly worked the oracle after a few recent below-par runs.

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“He’s come down the handicap a bit, but he’s a little bit older and wiser now,” said winning jockey Kevin Stott. “I think the blinkers were a big part of it.

Earlier the Silver Trophy went to Mark’s Choice for Guiseley trainer Sam England whose husband Jonathan later rode Near Kettering to hurdle success at Market Rasen to demonstrate the stable’s prowess under both codes.

Meanwhile few jockeys are riding with as much confidence as Jack Mitchell at present and he capped a profitable few days by winning the EBF Stallions Highfield Farm Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract on Double Or Bubble.

Having partnered Chris Wall’s improving filly to win at Newmarket’s Craven meeting in April, Mitchell was also on board when she was narrowly beaten in a Listed race at Chelmsford.

In taking her career record to four wins from just seven starts, she clearly has a bright future.