Frankie celebrates 2004 Jockeys' Championship
06/11/04

Frankie Dettori

Frankie Dettori was crowned champion jockey for the third time on an emotionally-charged afternoon at Doncaster and dedicated his success to his wife Catherine.

The Italian, who won the championship in 1994 and 1995, finished with 192 winners, 15 ahead of his great rival and reigning title-holder Kieren Fallon.

Mrs Dettori and their four children were on hand to see him receive the trophy from Fallon.

" I would really like to dedicate this championship to my wife, who gave me the push to go out and do it," said Dettori. "She set the snowball rolling.

" I'm glad that she was here (at Doncaster) to support me because she was a big part of this championship. My family have been my inspiration.

" Nine years since my last championship is a long time."

Dettori will be going all out to retain his title next year and he continued: "It's going to be hard because Kieren is a very determined person. It's going to be a fascinating race and we'll start again here at Doncaster.

" I'm going to have a shot. I'm not saying I'm going to win it but I'm going to be knocking on the door again. Hopefully I'll stay injury-free and suspension-free."

Kieren Fallon

Fallon bows out with sparkling Diamond
06/11/04
Kieren Fallon relinquished his jockeys' title on Saturday but he still ended the season in great style when winning the last big race of the Flat campaign at Doncaster.

He landed the £50,000 Enter The £1 Million totetentofollow November Handicap on the Brian Ellison-trained Carte Diamond, who went off at 12-1.

Fallon drove Carte Diamond into the lead over two furlongs out and kept him going in typically determined fashion to beat the new champion Frankie Dettori on Distant Prospect by two-and-a-half lengths.

The win vindicated Ellison's shrewd judgement as he bought Carte Diamond out of the Mark Johnston stable for 105,000 gns at Doncaster Sales only two weeks ago.

The Malton handler, who also saddled sixth-placed Artistic Style, said of the winner: "He cost a lot of money, but I knew he was a good horse. I spoke to Mark and he said that too.

" I went to the start with Artistic Style and spoke to Kieren down there and he said that Carte Diamond had given him the feel of a good horse. He was always going to win once he hit the front."

Ellison, who had previously won the race with Batswing in the same colours, was going to have the three-year-old gelded, but he added: "Kieren said we shouldn't as he is such a good horse, so we won't!

" We were going to run him over hurdles, but I don't think we will now and next year we will train him for the Ebor at York."

Fallon said: "Carte Diamond travelled really well and I think he will improve and be a nice horse next year. I did not know it was Frankie behind me, but my horse would have picked up again if anything had come to us."

Toby Balding's hopes of ending his great training career with a big winner were dashed with Turbo finishing only 12th.