Frankie Dettori Shines as a £120,000 Good Luck Charm in His Racecourse Comeback After Car Crash

FRANKIE DETTORI proved a £120,000 good luck charm on his first time back at a racecourse following his car crash.

The world’s most famous jockey in a smash two weeks ago.

Frankie Dettori recovers in hospital after being involved in a car crash which saw him flip his borrowed two-seater Smart car Credit: Ray Collins The world’s most famous jockey looked happy to be out of the house and back on a racecourse at Longchamp on Tuesday evening

Wife Catherine told how lucky the retired rider had been and both thanked the staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for looking after the 55-year-old so well.

Dettori was finally out of the house yesterday and at Longchamp racecourse in Paris in his role as Amo Racing ambassador.

He spoke to Sky Sports Racing before the Group 1 and said: “I’m getting better.

“It’s two weeks ago I had a very bad car accident.

“My ribs are still sore, my thumb is OK – this is the first day I have been out of the house.”

Dettori – who is – was there to support jockey David Egan and Amo’s three-year-old colt Ancient Egypt.

Beaten 13 lengths into eight in the Derby, Ancient Egypt found better ground at Royal Ascot much more to his liking.

He was beaten a neck at 10-1 by Aidan O’Brien’s Causeway in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes.

But it looked for all the world like the duo were going to go one better under Dettori’s watch in France.

Sent off 22-1 for the 1m4f contest, Ancient Egypt led early and looked comfortable setting the sectionals.

The Charlie Johnston-trained runner became crowded by the field one furlong from home.

But he plugged on determinedly and had a chance to pinch it only to be beaten a head by the fast-finishing Maltese Cross.

Tom Marquand looked like he might have the Derby runner-up in the wrong spot but carved an incredible path through the middle of runners to nick it at the death.

So while it wasn’t to be for Ancient Egypt, he still bagged a cheque for just shy of £120,000 for finishing second.

That takes his career earnings to just over £250,000 and Johnston said: “Above anything else I’m proud of the horse.

“Once again he was completely underestimated and overlooked, the outsider of the field.

“That Causeway was 9-4 and we were 20-1 – I think that’s a lack of respect for the horse and how good he is.

“He nearly showed them all – it was just the last stride.”

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