Frankie Dettori lands 80th Royal Ascot winner as Porta Fortuna flies home for Donnacha O'Brien

It might be Frankie Dettori's farewell tour but he is producing some of his finest work and an 80th Royal Ascot winner came his way when Porta Fortuna obliged in the Albany.

The filly was providing trainer Donnacha O'Brien with a memorable first winner at the meeting, but it was hard not to escape Frankie fever as he entered the winner's enclosure bellowing: "Eighty! Eighty!"

Dettori, who collected his prize with daughter Mia, had been given a chance of reaching the milestone after O'Brien's stable jockey Gavin Ryan elected to ride stablemate Do It With Style, who was 13th of the 17 runners.

If Ryan was, understandably, glum after the 6f Group 2, Dettori was beaming.

He said: "Eighty winners at Royal Ascot – unbelievable! I've fulfilled my dream. Ascot has always been special to me, I love it so much, and to reach 80 winners is incredible. I'm only thinking about the next race now, but I'm enjoying the moment."

Dettori, who last won the Albany in 2006 on the Jeremy Noseda-trained Sander Camillo, is set to retire at the end of the year and was riding his third winner of the week after Gregory in the Queen's Vase and Courage Mon Ami in the Gold Cup.

“One hundred per cent I wanted to get to the 80 winners,” he added. “I thought, ‘God, I’ve got to get three,’ but it is easier said than done. Now I have done it, yes! It’s a big number!” 

Porta Fortuna, who returned at 5-1, was bred by O'Brien's parents Annemarie and Aidan, who saddled Matrika to be second, while Soprano was third, one place ahead of Persian Dreamer. Paddy Power and Betfair make the winner a 10-1 chance (from 25) for next year's Qipco 1,000 Guineas, although Albany winners do not usually go on to claim that prize, which is perhaps why Coral went 25-1.

Donnacha O'Brien: "It means a lot, it's very special"Credit: Patrick McCann

"It means a lot," said the former rider, who started training in 2020 and whose biggest victory came three years ago when Fancy Blue won the Prix de Diane. "It's very special. I don't know how many seconds I had here as a jockey, but it's a very hard place to get winners and I'm very grateful to get one. It's a lot more special training winners than riding them as a lot goes into it – you're not just getting the leg up before the race – although there are a lot more ways you can mess it up!

"She's a very smart filly, and big congratulations to all the owners, they spotted her potential early and bought into her and the plan was to come here and it is great that it has come off. She travelled really well, she quickened smartly but she kept going to the line well. She's just a very smart filly."

Plans could include a trip to the Breeders' Cup later in the year, according to O'Brien, who trains Porta Fortuna for American clients, who were no doubt thrilled to have Dettori in the plate.

"Gavin had the choice and he picked the other filly," added O'Brien. "We had to go and find another jockey and Frankie wasn't a bad substitute to get. Frankie is unbelievable – one of the best ever – and we were delighted to get him. When he's on board you don't say anything apart from tell him about the filly and let him off – he's a very special rider."

Special indeed and there are now 80 reasons why that is undoubtedly the case.

Read this next:

Shaquille defies dreadful start to land extraordinary Group 1 win 

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.