Frankie Dettori savours first Italian 2,000 Guineas triumph
The latest stop on Frankie Dettori's retirement grand tour was a victorious one as he stormed to success in the Premio Parioli, Italy's version of the 2,000 Guineas, at Rome's Capannelle racecourse on Monday.
Dettori had previously been runner-up on four occasions in the race but made no mistake aboard the Bruno Grizzetti-trained Vero Atleta, the champion two-year-old colt last season.
"It's my last Parioli, I'll never have another chance so I didn't want to miss the penalty," an emotional Dettori said. "I was riding the best horse in the race and I didn't want to take any risks on this [soft] ground."
'The horse showed his class'
Dettori was posted three wide round the turn and kicked the son of Gleneagles into a decisive lead on straightening up, leading home a one-two for the owners.
"I kicked early and the horse showed his class," Dettori told Jour de Galop's Franco Raimondi. "The last 40 metres seemed a lot longer to me than to Vero Atleta. Finally the post came and I could celebrate victory with the colt's entourage and with the Italian fans, who have supported me throughout my career.
"I think he'll stay further and he'll now line up in the Derby."
Knowing of Dettori's desire to win the Parioli once before retiring at the end of the season and without the services of Antonio Fresu, who has headed to the US in search of more career opportunities, Grizzetti turned to his country's most famous racing son.
Dettori has made no secret of his desire to fill in some of the few remaining omissions on his glittering roll of honour before he draws down the curtain on his riding career in November.
After a fruitful spell riding through the winter season at Santa Anita – the venue for this year's Breeders' Cup – Dettori returned to Europe in time for the Craven meeting last month.
Dettori is looking more than ever to concentrate on the big days in his final season and had been booked to ride the Fabrice Chappet-trained Onesto in last Sunday's blockbuster Prix Ganay before he was withdrawn on account of the ground.
He can look forward to plum rides aboard Chaldean and Lezoo in the Qipco-sponsored 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket this weekend, races he has won three and four times respectively.
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