Frankie Dettori reveals his TWO Royal Ascot bankers including £100,000 Willie Mullins horse with ‘loads of ability'
ROYAL Ascot legend Frankie Dettori has revealed his TWO bankers of the week.
And they include a £100,000 potential superstar for Grand National-winning trainer
1
Frankie Dettori knows better than anyone what sort of horse it takes to win at Royal Ascot
Credit: PA
The world's most famous jockey -
Dettori, forever famed for the Magnificent Seven at Ascot, said he turned down the opportunity to race at the Flat's biggest festival.
And, though there is a part of him that thinks 'maybe', admits that soon disappears after a couple of glasses of bubbly.
If anyone deserves to let their hair down at Ascot, it's Frankie.
But punters will want him sobered up to deliver his top tips - and he has an aptly-named banker in that regard.
Dettori, who
He thinks Sober can get the job done for jump racing's biggest trainer in the Queen Alexandra Stakes over 2m5f on Saturday evening.
A two-time Group 2 winner in France, Mullins purchased the former Andre Fabre-trained runner at the Arqana Arc Sale in October last year.
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Never one to rush his top talent, Mullins kept Sober, who also finished third in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak in 2022, to the Closutton gallops through the winter.
But the six-year-old son of Camelot was
Initially available at 5-6, Sober was backed off the boards to win at 4-11 under Mullins' No1 rider Paul Townend.
Although jumping didn't really look his game - he won £275,000 racing on the Flat in France - Sober, who punters labelled an 'exciting' prospect, warmed to his task nicely in the end.
He was initially given a Gold Cup entry but is being saved for the handicap.
Dettori, when asked about his banker for the week in the handicaps by
"His runner in the Queen Alexandra Stakes - Sober."
But it's over six furlongs Dettori goes for his second banker.
Shadow Of Light was a huge eyecatcher in the 2,000 Guineas and, dropped to the shorter trip, Dettori reckons he can land the £650,000 Wokingham on Friday.
The former Godolphin jockey said of their runner for trainer Charlie Appleby: "This is my NAP in the Group 1s of the week - Shadow Of Light.
"He showed great speed in the Guineas and, with most of the good horses going to the St James's Palace, I think this leaves the door open for him to show his stuff.
"He is my banker of the week in the Group 1s - Field Of Gold (the odds-on favourite in the St James's Palace Stakes) would have been a bit too obvious!"
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