Free Wind cut to 20-1 after Frankie Dettori gets practice on possible final Arc ride

Frankie Dettori’s final ride in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is fast approaching and the legendary jockey looks set to lean on lively outsider Free Wind in his bid for a magnificent seventh victory in the famous race.

For much of the season Emily Upjohn had seemed to be his likely mount for the big one at Longchamp, but with Champions Day or the Breeders' Cup more likely to be on her agenda it could be her stablemate who gives Dettori a chance of a glorious swansong in his farewell season.

The 52-year-old rode work on the John and Thady Gosden-trained mare on the Newmarket gallops on Wednesday morning, suggesting she could be his partner on October 1.

The five-year-old mare had been 66-1 with bet365 on Wednesday morning but she has been cut to 40-1 with that firm and is as short as 20-1 with Paddy Power, William Hill and Betfair.

Free Wind’s most recent effort was a close second in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks last month and the form was boosted when winner Warm Heart followed up in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp.

Paul Binfield of Paddy Power said: “We were 50-1 about Free Wind before the news came out that she might be Frankie’s last Arc ride. While there's certainly an element of anticipation of support in the price change, it’s more that we were fully expecting Emily Upjohn to run and be Frankie's mount and weren't really expecting Free Wind. That’s why she was such a big price. 

“The Yorkshire Oaks form has been franked by Warm Heart and it’s worth noting that Savethelastdance, who was third that day, was a 12-1 shot for the Arc before being ruled out for the season. We feel that now Free Wind is an intended runner, the price cut is as much based on her chance as it is the Frankie factor.”

Free Wind (near side): lost out by a head to Warm Heart in the Yorkshire Oaks last timeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Dettori is the leading Arc jockey with six wins, most recently on the Gosden-trained Enable in 2017 and 2018. His other winners were Lammtarra (1995), Sakhee (2001), Marienbard (2002) and Golden Horn (2015).

Free Wind covered a mile under Dettori on the Limekilns round gallop at second lot on Wednesday morning and finished off well considering she was running into a headwind.

John Gosden said: “She went nicely. The plan is to leave her in the Arc at the next declaration stage.”

Free Wind's stablemate Emily Upjohn remains a 16-1 chance for the Arc. She started her season with a bang when landing the Coronation Cup at Epsom from Westover, another Arc hopeful. She went on to be narrowly denied by Paddington in the Eclipse but that effort probably told when she failed to fire in the King George.

Frankie Dettori on Free Wind at Newmarket on Wednesday morning Credit: David Milnes

Free Wind will not face a rematch with Warm Heart in the Arc as her trainer Aidan O’Brien has decided the impressive St Leger winner Continuous may be the only runner from Ballydoyle.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (October 1, Longchamp)

bet365: 7-2 Ace Impact, 11-2 Hukum, 9 Feed The Flame, 10 Westover, 14 Emily Upjohn, 16 Bay Bridge, 20 Luxembourg, Place Du Carrousel, Simca MIlle, Zagrey, 25 bar

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