Fabulous Fabiolo: the sensational season that stamped this unbeaten chaser as the latest Willie Mullins superstar

The Racing Post Annual 2024 is out now, with 208 colour pages packed with the best stories and stunning images. In these extracts, editor Nick Pulford relives El Fabiolo's sensational season ahead of his reappearance next weekend and one of cover star Frankie Dettori's many 2023 highlights. To order the annual, click here or call 01933 304858.

Better than Energumene? Judged on Racing Post Ratings at the end of their novice seasons, El Fabiolo has the edge over his illustrious stablemate. Only time will tell if he can translate that precocious talent to the highest level over two miles, but the early signs are very promising indeed.

The kingmaker will be Willie Mullins. While there has been misfortune with Energumene, who wears the crown but is set to miss the season through injury, he already has the young pretender. El Fabiolo went from strength to strength in an unblemished four-race novice campaign, improving with every run to finish on an RPR of 173. That puts him 2lb ahead of Energumene at the same stage and, with three years on his older stablemate, plenty of time for more improvement.

Ruby Walsh was sure. Speaking on Racing TV after El Fabiolo’s final flourish at Punchestown in April, the former master jockey had no hesitation in naming him as the one he would ride in a clash against Energumene. Paul Townend will be spared the difficult choice, at least for this season.

El Fabiolo could not have made a stronger case during his impressive first season over fences. Having signalled his ability as a novice hurdler with a neck second to Jonbon at the 2022 Aintree festival, he was always on course for a rematch with his British rival in the Arkle Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and he made his way there in swashbuckling style.

First came a 19-length stroll from the front against outclassed opponents at Fairyhouse, albeit with some novicey errors, and that was followed by a resounding ten-length success in the Grade 1 Irish Arkle at Leopardstown. Townend had chosen stablemate Appreciate It, who went off a warm favourite, but El Fabiolo’s decisive victory under Daryl Jacob left no doubt about the stable pecking order.

Meanwhile, Jonbon, already the more experienced of the pair over hurdles, managed an extra race in his own unbeaten streak en route to the Arkle. He was impressive in the middle one of his three wins in the Grade 1 Henry VIII at Sandown but less so in a two-horse race at Warwick in his final run before Cheltenham. That laboured effort saw him lose Arkle favouritism to El Fabiolo.

The scene was set for a classic Anglo-Irish festival showdown, albeit with Jonbon carrying JP McManus’s green and gold and El Fabiolo in the double green of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Doubts lingered over Jonbon’s Warwick display and El Fabiolo’s sometimes sketchy jumping, leaving questions still to be answered. It was the Irish challenger who gave an emphatic response.

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A strongly backed 11-10 favourite, El Fabiolo was a touch slow over the first fence and untidy at the last, but in between Townend rode a lovely stalking race behind pacesetting stablemate Dysart Dynamo and Jonbon. When the two leaders went wide off the final bend, Townend took El Fabiolo on the daring route up the inside and was rewarded with a brave jump into the lead at the second-last. With Dysart Dynamo coming down at the final fence and Jonbon finding no more, El Fabiolo’s big engine powered him to victory by five and a half lengths from his old rival.

Townend was impressed. “When I wanted him to race, he came alive for me,” he said. “He’s not the most natural of jumpers, but at every fence he knows where his feet are and he gets away with it. And the more competitive he is, the better he jumps.”

Souede admitted to “a few flutters” over El Fabiolo’s jumping. “I think he’s a bit of an underrated jumper but he likes to give you a bit of a scare,” he said. “At the last you could see his power. He’s a very athletic horse, so who knows how much stronger he can run.”

There was a sense of how much stronger at Punchestown six weeks later in the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase. With Dysart Dynamo his main rival in a field of four, El Fabiolo was too powerful again and came home 11 lengths clear of his stablemate, who was more of a form yardstick than a meaningful challenger by the end. The winner advanced his RPR another notch, meaning he had progressed with figures of 163, 167, 172 and 173 in his four runs.

“He’s improving all the time,” Mullins said. “You feel Paul is always pulling him back and trying to keep a lid on him, which he was until the second-last and then he decided to let him go.”

Paul Townend celebrates Arkle victory on El FabioloCredit: Patrick McCann

The formlines were growing stronger all the time. Jonbon confirmed his status as the top British novice with a 43-length cruise in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree and then scored in open company at the top level in the Celebration Chase at Sandown, two days after El Fabiolo’s Punchestown success. That final victory for Jonbon took him to an RPR of 170, confirming his own class as a two-mile chaser after it had appeared his Arkle defeat would prompt a move up to two and a half miles, with an eye towards three miles in time.

There was a distance question over El Fabiolo given his strength at the end of two miles, but Mullins was in no rush to take him any further. Speaking after the Arkle, he said: “I always like if a horse can operate over two miles, they’re easier to train and easier to keep sound. I’m hoping he can stay at that sort of trip and can be a Champion Chase horse down the road.”

Energumene won’t stand in the way on that road this season, it seems. El Fabiolo was catching up fast anyway, and now Mullins can plot a course to the top. 

Additional reporting by James Stevens and Conor Fennelly

‘I’m on fire’ – Dettori’s dream Classic double

Winning a Classic would have been high on Frankie Dettori’s wishlist at the start of the year. The quest did not start well but ultimately it was gloriously successful. Not once but twice.

Through the winter the main hope was Chaldean, his Dewhurst Stakes winner from the previous autumn. The proving ground for whether the Juddmonte colt had trained on would be Newbury, where Dettori was back on board for the Greenham Stakes. Not for long, though. As they left the stalls, Chaldean ducked slightly right, collided with another horse and sent Dettori tumbling.

“I didn’t even have time to think about it,” said the unhurt jockey. “He knocked the foot out of my iron and that was it. I was on the floor, simple as that.”

As a proving ground for Chaldean, it had proved nothing. No matter. He still turned up for the 2,000 Guineas a fortnight later with a leading chance, sent off 7-2 second favourite behind Auguste Rodin. This time it was straightforward. Dettori sat close to the pace, kicked for home early and took control in the final furlong from 125-1 outsider Hi Royal.

“To cap off my last season with a Classic is beyond my wildest dreams, especially after what happened at Newbury,” Dettori said. “My emotions are all over the place. I don’t know whether to laugh, cry or enjoy it. I’m so messed up at the moment – let me soak it all in! To win my last Guineas in front of my home crowd is amazing.”

Frankie Dettori punches the air in delight as he wins the 2,000 Guineas on ChaldeanCredit: Edward Whitaker

For Chaldean’s trainer Andrew Balding, it was a second 2,000 Guineas in four runnings after Kameko’s behind-closed-doors win in 2020. This time the place was rocking and, like the rest of Newmarket, Dettori was at the front of Balding’s mind.

“What a brilliant ride,” he said. “Ever since I’ve been involved in the sport he’s been an omnipresent superstar of the sport and what a fitting way to end his last 2,000 Guineas.”

Arrest winning the Derby would have been the ultimate for Dettori, but according to the bookmakers his better chance in the Epsom Classics lay with Soul Sister in the Oaks, and it was she who delivered.

Once again his main rival was a Ballydoyle favourite and, while Savethelastdance didn’t bomb out like Auguste Rodin had in the Guineas, she had no answer to an inspired Dettori. “I’m on fire!” said the pumped-up jockey after another Classic flying dismount and a Group 1 double on the day, following Emily Upjohn’s earlier win in the Coronation Cup. Both fillies were trained by John and Thady Gosden.

Dettori may have been on fire but he showed a cool head in the Oaks. Soul Sister’s tardy start left him unable to find the prominent position he wanted and he had to take her to the back of the nine-runner field. Having bided his time down the hill to Tattenham Corner, he unleashed her on the outer in the straight with a sustained run to glory.

A second Classic winner of the year for Frankie Dettori with Soul Sister in the OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

“Why is he giving up?” asked racecourse commentator Simon Holt as Dettori crossed the line a British Classic winner for the 23rd time. “I don’t know,” was Dettori’s immediate answer to the big “why?” question. He then suggested that if he hung around for one more year he might get close to Lester Piggott’s record of 30 British Classics. “Joking! Joking!” he added quickly.

Yet this was more evidence that the on-fire Dettori wasn’t burning out. “Plan A to sit handy wasn’t working today, so he immediately reverted to plan B, sat last and brought her down the outside,” said John Gosden. “He did it coolly, rode her with confidence and had the class filly to do it.

“He’s riding like a demon. When he’s at the top of his game there’s never been anyone better.”

Also in the Racing Post Annual 2024

Here are three more short extracts . . .

The longer goodbye
As Frankie Dettori's ‘final’ year wore on, the valediction grew in intensity and spread across the racing map. The stated aim of finishing at Champions Day at Ascot on October 21 was modified to include the Melbourne Cup meeting. Then Hong Kong was mentioned. Stars in decline leave through a side door. But Dettori wasn’t remotely on the slide.
Paul Hayward

Freak show
The horse who might well be the greatest hurdler of all time fell asleep in the racecourse stables prior to the Champion Hurdle and then tripped while walking to the winner's enclosure. He is sleepy and occasionally clumsy but it is what Constitution Hill does on the track that matters. What he did at his second Cheltenham Festival had to be seen to be believed.
Lee Mottershead

Highs and lows
They called him Lazarus, but even Lazarus only came back from the dead once. Then again, Lazarus was relying on Jesus and Auguste Rodin had Aidan O'Brien on his side, so a double miracle should hardly have come as a surprise.
Peter Thomas

PLUS
Galopin Des Champs Glorious Gold Cup winner
Ace Impact Jean-Claude Rouget’s Arc hero
Corach Rambler Unstoppable force in National
Paddington Group 1 winning streak
Honeysuckle Wondermare goes out on a high
Hukum  Crowning glory in King George

And many more in a packed 208 pages with stunning photographs

The Racing Post Annual 2024 is out now! This exciting review of the racing year has 208 colour pages packed with the best stories and is beautifully illustrated with stunning images. The perfect gift at £19.99. To order, click here or call 01933 304858.