Frankie Dettori wins ninth Gold Cup on Courage Mon Ami
- Planet Sport writer
- 22 June 2023
Frankie Dettori wins a ninth Gold Cup in his final year in the saddle on Courage Mon Ami.
Frankie Dettori recorded a fairytale victory on his final Gold Cup ride, with the aptly-named Courage Mon Ami showing plenty of grit to down Coltrane in a titanic battle through the final furlong of the Royal Ascot showpiece.
It was a ninth Gold Cup for the Italian, who will hang up his boots at the end of the year.
Courage Mon Ami was having only his fourth lifetime start, having won his three previous races for John and Thady Gosden.
Stepping up in trip, the 15/2 chance was settled near the back of the pack as Subjectivist, the winner two years ago, made most of the running.
But Dettori took a risk and waited on the rail before sweeping through beaten horses and switching outside Coltrane's withers.
The four-year-old son of Frankel kept finding to beat the 11/4 favourite, who was ridden by Oisin Murphy. Subjectivist stuck on well to finish a gallant third.
"Unbelievable! I thought it was a bridge too far from handicaps, but I had the perfect race," said a jubilant Dettori, who returned to a tremendous reception and even gave the Queen a kiss at the presentation ceremony.
"He's still a baby, but when Coltrane came back he picked up again. I can't hear myself talking!"
He went on: "I didn't expect it. The last five years I had Stradivarius so the pressure was on, this one I thought was a bit of a chancer, coming from handicaps, but John was confident.
"I didn't believe it, but I said to him he's pulled a rabbit out of the hat. He's a great trainer and he does things like that. Sometimes if I don't believe it I just go along with it!
"I rode him cold and it just happened. I got the splits when I wanted to and in fairness he showed a turn of foot.
"In the last half a furlong I couldn't get rid of Oisin and I thought 'no, we've got this far, please keep going!'.
"Nine Gold Cups, what can you say? I'm speechless, to be honest."
John Gosden said: "It was a great ride from Frankie and sort of crowns his week.
"It's been a phenomenal career and 30 years we've been working together on and off.
"We've had one argument in 30 years, how many marriages can say that? We patched it up after five days and we were winning Group Ones right away in Deauville. We had a disagreement, that's fine that's professional, and then we kicked on with life. Look at the result today."
