Is Frankie Dettori’s daughter a jockey?
FRANKIE DETTORI has had an impressive career as a jockey and his achievements have clearly made an impact on his family.
The Italian, who relocated to the US in October 2023, seems to have particularly inspired his daughter Ella to follow in his footsteps.
Who is Ella Dettori?
Ella Detorri is the daughter of jockey Frankie Dettori.
She is one of the sport star's five children.
Frankie married Ella's mother Catherine in July 1997 in Newmarket, England.
The couple share children Ella, Leo, Mia, Tallula, and Rocco.
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In July 2023 it was reported that Ella was engaged and due to get married.
Her father was said to be auctioning off more than 100 "once-in-a-lifetime" items ahead of his retirement to help fund the wedding.
Frankie's international farewell tour is set to conclude at the end of 2023 and the star was reported to be clearing out his Newmarket home - which will be available to rent from £15,000 a month - in preparation.
Items such as his jockey scales, a saddle, boots and photographs were all part of the online auction list, with some of the proceeds set to go towards Ella's 2024 nuptials.
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Is Frankie Dettori's daughter Ella a jockey?
Ella has indeed followed in her famous father's footsteps by stepping into the world of horse racing.
Frankie previously joked that , his youngest child, would be the one to pursue a career as a jockey but he ended up getting too "big" in the gym.
He said: "Rocco, in Covid, he went into the gym and he turned out to be a pretty robust guy, strong and muscly so unfortunately his career is gone somewhere else.
"He still loves his riding but he is way too big and too strong."
Ella comes from a line of jockeys as her paternal grandfather, Sardinian Gianfranco, made a big name for himself as a prolific horse racing winner in Italy.
Frankie then got into horse racing himself after his father bought him a Palomino pony called Silvia.
When did Ella Dettori make her race-riding debut?
Ella competed in her first ever race as a jockey in July 2021, when she was 19 years old.
She made her debut in the charity Magnolia Cup race at Glorious Goodwood.
The contest ended in a dramatic dead-heat with judges unable to split the two leading runners.
After the race, Ella spoke about having her dad's support as she embarks on her own career as a jockey.
She said: "Dad gave me a few tips before the race.
"I hope I made him proud, that was my aim."
Ella also had her mum, Catherine, and siblings Mia and Leo there to cheer her on on the day.
Ella doesn't appear to have raced in the years since her debut but in September 2021 she revealed on her Instagram that she had begun studying at Sheffield University, which could explain her absence.
Prior to her race debut, Ella participated in eventing, sharing updates on her competitions on her Instagram page.
She began taking an interest in horse racing after becoming bored during the first coronavirus lockdown, beginning to ride out for trainer Charlie Fellowes.
She said about the switch from eventing to racing: "The first three weeks of lockdown was sunny and lovely.
"But after that, with seven of us in the house, we just got so sick of each other and bored.
"Dad said, 'Why don’t you try riding out?'
"I have done quite a lot of riding but nothing to do with racing.
"I felt like people expected me to know what to do, Dad being who he is.
"I got put on my first racehorse and had to figure it out as I went along. It was terrifying!"
Later she revealed her dad had given her tips saying: "Nobody told me racehorses go faster when you pull the reins. In eventing, it’s the opposite."
She added: "I found the riding position ridiculous.
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"Standing out of the saddle, my legs were burning with exhaustion, but I slowly got the hang of it.
";I now understand why Dad has to stay so fit."