Dettori happy to wait out the week in France ahead of Morny bid and quarantine

Half the job is done: Frankie Dettori celebrates success on Mishriff in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville, a ride which means he will have to serve quarantine on his return to the UKCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Frankie Dettori will not be rushing back to Britain to start his quarantine after Sunday's Prix Jacques le Marois but will instead take some time for himself in Deauville ahead of next Sunday's Darley Prix Morny, where he will be reunited with the Wesley Ward speedball Campanelle.

Speaking after partnering Mishriff to success in the valuable Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, Dettori confirmed that, while the lure of that colt and fellow John Gosden inmate Palace Pier in the Marois was the main deciding factor in his decision to come over – in the process ensuring that he would be unable to ride at York's Ebor meeting next week due to the government's new Covid-19 restrictions on travellers returning from France – the chance to help out old ally Ward was an added bonus to sweeten the deal.

"Yesterday for elite sportsmen they changed the quarantine rule from 14 to eight days so I am prolonging my stay in Deauville till next weekend," said Dettori. "There's nothing at home to rush back for at the moment and it's not a bad place to spend a week. I'm not going to brag about it too much but it's nice to be here."

Campanelle: set for the Group 1 Prix Morny nextCredit: Edward Whitaker

Expanding on his reasoning for the trip even in the face of the decision to reimpose quarantine taken by Boris Johnson's government – one that has prevented Ryan Moore from taking the ride on Circus Maximus in the Marois – Dettori said: "Today and tomorrow I have two good horses and the prize-money is unbelievable. It was a good choice by the stable to run and a good choice by me to come.

"Myself and John discussed it long and hard. Mishriff won the Jockey Club and Palace Pier the St James's Palace so they're two of the stable stars.

"I decided to swallow the quarantine, come here and take my chance and at least half the job is done – let's hope we can get the other half done tomorrow."

Dettori and his longtime ally in France Herve Naggar will monitor entries for next Saturday's Deauville card, but with the prospect of Enable at Kempton on September 5, he won't be taking chance rides midweek.

Rather he will be enjoying the delights of Deauville as well as potentially reprising his role as work rider, assistant trainer and travelliing head groom to Ward.

He said: "[It will be] chill out time. I don't think I have to prove myself at Clairefontaine. There is also some good races here on Saturday so I'll keep an eye on the entries and see if I can pick up some rides. [For now] I'm going to try and get some oysters."

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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

Published on 15 August 2020inNews

Last updated 17:30, 15 August 2020

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