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Everyone is expecting me to go through lots of hankies as it is my last Royal Ascot as a jockey, but, just as I was for the Derby, I am feeling pretty chilled and looking forward to it. Let’s go.
Ascot, and not just the royal meeting, has been a very special place to me throughout my career and it would be great if that could continue through to October, when I will have my last rides in this country on British Champions Day.
My earliest memories of Ascot are when I had just arrived in Newmarket as an apprentice to Luca Cumani in my “moped days”. You would see the lorry leave, bound for Royal Ascot first thing in the morning, and feel the buzz that generated throughout the yard. Little did I think then that it would become almost a second home to me.
My first ride at the royal meeting was on a horse called Merle in the 1987 Hunt Cup – I rode at 7st 6lb, which was 1lb overweight, and I sweated my whatnots off to try to do the weight.
My first winner was Markofdistinction in the Queen Anne Stakes, a Group Two back then, in 1990. He was a game-changer for me. He gave me my first Listed win, first Group Two and first Group One when he went back to Ascot for the QEII. He had a great turn of foot and was still last with three furlongs to run in the Queen Anne. He cruised on to the heels of the leaders two out and at the furlong pole a gap opened on the rail and he pretty much won “hands and heels”.
Back then, I never thought I would meet Queen Elizabeth, but I rode for her for 30 years and won the Ribblesdale Stakes on her filly Phantom Gold in 1995. I had met her for the first time the year before when I was riding for her main trainer, Ian Balding, and just having the royal silks hanging on your peg was a real thrill.
Before racing on the first day, her racing manager, Lord Canarvon, came into the weighing room and said: “Do you know how to address the Queen, boy?” He then explained you tipped your hat, bowed and called her Your Majesty, “but don’t speak until she does. Then you finish off what you’re saying with ‘Ma’am’.”
I was petrified. The first day, I tipped my hat, bowed, did all the right things and she said nothing. I thought this is not going too well. The second day, though, we got on to tactics, and on day three we spoke about the Gold Cup. On the last day, I was walking out with two other jockeys, talking about cars and women. There was none of the usual commotion around the Queen, but there she was, two steps in front of me.
It took me by surprise and I said, “How are ya?” in my worst cockney. I think she was amused but Lord Carnarvon kicked me in the shins!
I have had 77 winners at the meeting and I cannot remember half of them. Ironically, it is the three years I missed which I almost remember more. In 1996, I had broken my elbow, which meant I missed winning the Gold Cup on Classic Cliche. I missed the meeting in 2000 after my plane crash when Dubai Millennium won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, and again in 2017 with a shoulder injury when Lady Aurelia, Big Orange, Coronet and Stradivarius all won without me.
One of my best memories was two years later when I won the first four races on the Thursday with A’Ali, Sangarius, Star Catcher and Stradivarius. When Turgenev hit the front two furlongs out in the fifth race, the Britannia, the roar from the crowd was off the scale – I’ve never heard anything like it, but he was worn down in the last 50 yards.
I am not going to catch Lester Piggott, who rode 116 winners at Royal Ascot when it was a four-day meeting and there were only six races a day. He was just a genius. But I would be very pleased if I could round it up to 80 by the time the week is out and keep my nose in front of Ryan Moore, who is on 73.
It would also be something to ride a first Ascot winner for the King and Queen and I have two chances to do that. Saga was second here last year over a mile but is up in distance on Tuesday. He comes from off the pace, so needs all the breaks and a lot of luck. Reach For The Moon is difficult, so we are going to try him in a big handicap, the Royal Hunt Cup (on Wednesday), and ride him with a lot of patience. He has the ability.
I cannot recall having a first-day book of rides at Ascot like the one I have on Tuesday. I do not think any of them are there just for the Pimm’s, hopefully they are there for the Champagne.
Frankie Dettori is an ambassador for Howden Insurance.
The day I addressed the Queen in my best cockney accent
I was petrified the first day I met Queen Elizabeth – I tipped my hat, bowed, did all the right things and she said nothing