Frankie Dettori makes shock retirement U-turn as jockey, 52, announces plans to continue his career
FRANKIE DETTORI has CANCELLED his retirement from horse racing as he prepares to continue his career in America.
The Italian, 52, had originally announced his 35-year career would come to an end at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
But now he has announced he will still be racing in the US from next year.
Speaking in a short video on , he said: "Hi everyone, it's Frankie here. I'm in London for British Champions Day which will be my last one I had in England.
"But a scoop for you guys, I've decided to prolong my career, I'm going to go to the United States from next year.
"Keep on following me."
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Dettori's final race in Britain comes on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, October 21.
One of his big rides will be on football superagent Kia Joorabchian's Derby runner-up King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes.
But he has revealed he is not yet willing to completely give up the sport after a season in which he rode the winners of the 2000 Guineas, Oaks and Ascot Gold Cup.
He told : "I am simply not ready to retire completely.
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"I’m still enjoying riding and want to carry on for a while on the international circuit."
He went on to add: "Obviously I’ve told everyone over the past year that I’d be staying my last goodbyes on the tracks, but I feel like I can do a bit more in the US.
";I had an absolutely amazing time there last winter. That’s it, basically."
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Dettori has won an incredible 282 Group 1 races and over 20 British Classics during a glittering career.
He has spent much of his 35 years in the sport making headlines and his incredible 'Magnificent Seven' at Ascot in 1996 made him a household name.
He has become synonymous with Royal Ascot and has ridden 77 winners at the meeting during his career, performing his trademark flying dismount after each one.
Dettori - who is set to appear on I'm A Celeb... - said this year's Royal meeting would be his last, but Coral make his just 2-1 to ride an American-trained winner there next June.
Incredibly, Luca Cumani, the trainer who took Dettori under his wing when he came to England as a 14-year-old, recently predicted the jockey would keep going.
He told : "In the Spring, whenever he was winning a big race I would always text him saying, 'What the hell are you doing retiring? You’re better than ever'.
"He would come back and say it was decided. It just made me wonder why? He could have two or three more years.
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"Look at Mike Smith in America, he is 56 and is still riding and is at the top of his game.
"I tried to persuade him not to retire. His last year has been fantastic."
