Saturday 3rd June
Frankie Dettori made his final ride at Epsom Downs a winning one when steering Prosperous Voyage (6-4 Favourite) to a three-quarter length victory in the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
The 52 year old Italian said: “I feel good. I’m relaxed. I’m a bit disappointed about the Derby, but to finish on a winner after over 30 years riding here is brilliant. I’m going to enjoy it and I’m going to eat a bit of grass from the winner’s enclosure. I think I own it!
“I’m enjoying all of it. For most of the last few years I’ve been doing this there’s been a tremendous amount of pressure, but I’ve got nothing to prove now. This is the end and I’m enjoying it, and that’s why I’m riding so well.
“Prosperous Voyage always runs very forward, but she anticipated the jump and smacked her face in the gate.I was last, so it was Plan B then. It was meant to happen though as she’s been making the running a few times and was probably sick of that, so it was good for her to follow some horses for once. She was very brave, as the gaps were tight. It was a good reference point for Royal Ascot.”
On his Betfred Derby mount, Arrest (10th), Dettori added: The ground dried out and he found the track a bit uncomfortable. I knew my fate a long way out. It is what it is, but that’s why Epsom is the ultimate test. You’ve got to be able to do everything.”
Winning trainer Ralph Beckett added: “This will set her up nicely for the Duke Of Cambridge at Royal Ascot, and I’ve always felt she was better on a straight track. This is her first win for a while, so that’s great.
“She was always going to stay in training but there was no one big target. That was a good effort today. I think first time out she was just a bit lacklustre, and it was soft ground and nine furlongs. She needed it too, and she probably still needed it today. She’s a bit more matronly this year.”
Ed Walker, trainer of the runner-up Random Harvest (22-1), said: “It was a big run. We kind of knew that the Newmarket run was wrong, she got herself a bit wound up and missed the break and it was the same the year before with her first run as she ran rubbish. She’s really come into her coat recently and looks fit and well so we kind of came here thinking we would be thrilled with third, so we’re very thrilled with second! He was beaten by a Group One winner while giving her weight, so we’ll take that. We’ll go to Royal Ascot next.”
The first running of the £100,000 Aston Martin 3YO ‘Dash’ Handicap went to the Michael Dods-trained Tatterstall (8-1), who hugged the stands’ rail and came back strongly at the finish to beat Miss Brazen by a length and a quarter.
Dods was busy at home but was represented by his daughter Chloe, who was delighted. She said: “We thought he had a nice chance. He hung when winning on his first run at Wolverhampton, and then at York he was only beaten about two and three-quarter lengths.
“This was the obvious race to come for, and he likes the ground. Connor (Beasley) said he got headed, but he battled back.”
Beasley added: “He had good speed and we had a good draw so we put that to good use. He’s won really nicely and it’s nice to get a winner on Derby Day.”
Part owner Dave Stone nearly missed the presentation as he couldn’t find the winner’s enclosure. He said: “I asked every steward where the winner’s enclosure was, but nobody knew. I had £500 each-way on him at 9-1!”
