Frankie Dettori puts retirement on hold ahead of US stint: ‘I’m not ready to quit’

Frankie Dettori has put his retirement from horse racing on hold, admitting: “I’m just not ready to walk away completely.”

While next weekend’s Champions Day meeting at Ascot will still be the legendary jockey’s final race day in Britain, he is set to then relocate to the US, where he will continue riding indefinitely.

Dettori, arguably the most recognisable figure in the sport, announced his plan to retire at the end of the 2023 season in December last year and has since embarked on a de-facto farewell tour throughout his final campaign.

However, rumours have been swirling for weeks that the 52-year-old could perform a U-turn of sorts as he continues to excel on the biggest stage, riding two Classic winners this season and only last weekend partnering Inspiral to a landmark 500th winner at Newmarket

“I simply am not ready to retire completely,” Dettori said on Thursday morning. “I’m still enjoying riding and want to carry on for a while on the international circuit.

“I have had the most amazing career [based in the UK] and head to British Champions Day with some brilliant rides. This will mark my final day riding in Britain, after which I will head to America for the Breeders’ Cup and then Melbourne for the Carnival.”

Those two meetings had always been on the cards for the final leg of Dettori’s career, which was then due to finish in Hong Kong later this winter. However, he now intends to continue riding in the US with no definitive end date.

“The current plan is to return to Santa Anita in the States at the end of the year,” explained Dettori, who was speaking on the Thames’s Southbank, where Londoners were being given the chance to replicate the jockey’s famous flying dismount celebration.

“How long I continue race riding overseas and where my American journey takes me, no one can predict but I welcome the challenge in this new chapter.”