Frankie Dettori’s flying visit to Killarney racecourse on Wednesday evening did not result in any flying dismounts, as the most familiar face in racing failed to find a winner in four attempts.
Dettori had arrived at the course in a pony-and-trap, just as Lester Piggott had done on a famous visit to the Irish track in the 1990s. Piggott too had four rides at the County Kerry course, and won with three of them. Unlike his predecessor as racing’s most famous jockey, Dettori failed to find a winner in front of a huge crowd, instead chalking up two second-place finishes.
Dettori’s evening started with a near-miss on Time Tunnel, an 11-4 shot, who was drawn out wide but was soon at the head of affairs. Dettori held the advantage until well inside the final furlong, when Tauran Shaman ran him down to win by half a length.
Hopes that Dettori was just starting to find his way around Killarney were dashed when his next mount, Mujid, was only fourth of five at 100-30. Lady Wannabe’s performance in the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes, the card’s feature event, proved to be the most exciting of the night for Dettori’s backers.
As he had on Time Tunnel, Dettori took control from an early stage and this time he was in front until the final strides, when Colin Keane forced Viadera’s head in front on the line to win by a short-head. Dettori’s final ride, Finding Nero, started favourite at 2-1 but never seriously threatened to take a hand in the finish.
Dettori hadn’t ridden in Kerry since 1998, when he drew a crowd of 6,000 to the now-defunct course at Tralee, and he arrived at Killarney in the middle of one of his most successful seasons for many years.
Despite a lack of winners, Dettori’s flying visit was still quite a coup for Killarney, which describes itself with some justification as “Ireland’s most scenic racecourse”, situated within the Killarney National Park. It was organised by Philip O’Brien, Killarney’s racing manager, via Ray Cochrane, Dettori’s long-standing agent.
Masar retired
Masar, the colt that ended Godolphin’s long wait for a Derby winner in their royal blue colours, has been retired to join the stallion roster at Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stud after failing to win either of his two starts following his victory at Epsom 13 months ago.
Hamilton 1.40 Point Of Order 2.10 Arnold 2.40 Harvey Dent 3.10 Dutch Coed 3.40 Lever Du Soleil 4.10 New Arrangement 4.40 Retirement Beckons (nb) 5.15 Poyle George Two
Chepstow 2.00 Loose Chippings 2.30 Papa Delta 3.00 Above 3.30 Mad Endeavour 4.00 Maid From The Mist 4.30 Flying Dragon 5.05 Paddy The Chef
Leicester 2.20 Fantom Force 2.50 Forseti 3.20 Dramatic Device 3.50 Mr Tyrrell 4.20 Gentlewoman 4.50 Sauchiehall Street (nap) 5.25 Evening Attire
Ffos Las 5.50 Midnight Folie 6.20 Grageelagh Girl 6.55 Surrey Blaze 7.30 Pink Eyed Pedro 8.00 Harbour Force 8.35 Jacbequick 9.05 Sunset Showdown
Epsom Downs 6.00 Ascot Week 6.35 Goodwood Rebel 7.10 Allegiant 7.40 Cool Reflection 8.15 Ashazuri 8.45 Shaleela’s Dream
An early departure for the breeding sheds had seemed increasingly likely for Masar after he finished last of the six runners when odds-on for the Group Two Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket last week. His disappointing run there followed a fifth-place finish in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in mid-June, when Masar was running for the first time since winning the Derby having suffered a season-ending injury last July.
Masar is the third Derby winner in the last nine years to retire without adding another win to his record, following Pour Moi (2011), who did not race again after Epsom due to injury, and Wings Of Eagles (2017), who suffered a career-ending injury in the Irish Derby on his next start after the Classic.