Retire? I’m still young for a jockey, maintains Dettori

Sheikh Mohammed’s outfit recruited two further top riders this season in Mickael Barzalona, winner of the Derby last year on Pour Moi, and Silvestre de Sousa, runner-up to Paul Hanagan in the jockeys’ title race.

Barzalona will ride Kailani for one of Godolphin’s trainers, Mahmood Al Zarooni, in today’s Investec Oaks at Epsom, leaving Dettori without a mount.

With Godolphin having no runners in tomorrow’s Epsom, it prompted rumours that Dettori – who has scaled back his riding commitments in recent years to focus on major races – was preparing to announce his retirement.

He denied this, saying that he intends to ride tomorrow at Haydock for, among others, North Yorkshire trainer David O’Meara.

“I have no plans to retire. I am still young for a top jockey and I have many good years ahead of me. I will back myself to beat anybody,” said the charismatic Italian.

“Let’s get to Royal Ascot and see what happens.”

However, Dettori will clearly have to work for riding opportunities at Royal Ascot and other major meetings.

“Rides will be split across the board,” said Crisford. “They will all get equal opportunities. Frankie has to share the cake and he understands that. We brought in two new, young jockeys and it is obviously important to give them opportunities.

“For years Frankie was our only retained jockey. We had other people who would regularly ride for us but it was an informal arrangement. These two jockeys are formally retained.

“I thought we made it reasonably clear at the time that, if any one of them struck up a winning combination with a certain horse, the chances are they are going to stay on that horse. Certainly that’s Frankie’s understanding of the situation.”

Crisford insisted retirement was not on the agenda for Dettori, saying: “I know he’s said publicly that he wants to keep going for at least another five years.

“It’s working out well at the moment. We are a big stable, a little short on quality just now, but quantity is not an issue.”