HUNGARY: LEGEND DETTORI IN MAGYAR MISSION

HUNGARY: LEGEND DETTORI IN MAGYAR MISSION

Written on 31/08/23 by Darren Thrussell – info@anglogermanracing.com

IN what is set to be his final year in the saddle, legendary jockey FRANKIE DETTORI heads for pastures new this weekend as the Italian-born rider travels to the Kincsem Park course in Budapest on Saturday, for the biggest raceday of the year in Hungary.

Dettori has six rides on the card, two of which are for British trainers. SPLENDENT, a winner of a Newbury handicap for trainers Paul and Oliver Cole in June, is Dettori’s mount in the big race of the day, the Group 1 Kincsem Dij. The 2400 metre contest, worth 22,000,000 HUF (approx. 57,650 EUR), has attracted an international field of nine runners, with TIDES OF WAR also making the journey from England to Hungary for trainer David Simcock, with top lady rider Rebeka Gonczi in the saddle. They are joined in the race by the high class Slovakian-trained ORRY and Czech raider YOU JUST ROCK, runner up in both the Czech and Slovak Derbies this year. Best of the home runners look to be the French-bred AMORE BOY, winner of the Hungarian Derby in July, and EGGI’S CHOICE, winner of this corresponding race last year.

There are also two British-trained runners in the Group 2 Imperial Dij, where Dettori takes the ride on the Ian Williams-trained SILENT FILM. Formerly trained by Charlie Appleby for the Sheikh Mohammed-led Godolphin operation, Silent Film was last seen when fourth in the Shergar Cup Mile handicap at Ascot. Running in the colours of Fitri Hay as do all the English-trained runners at Budapest on Saturday, Silent Film was also tenth in a big money Sandown handicap in July, where the Andrew Balding trained SCEPTIC, who also runs here, was one place back in eleventh.

Four locally trained runners make up Dettori’s remaining rides on the Budapest card. The jockey rides the Szabolcs Szuna-trained MERCI STAR, fourth in July’s Hungarian Derby, in the Group 2 Nagy Dij, whilst the Overdose Dij, which also carries Group 2 status and is named after the famous Hungarian sprinter, sees Dettori aboard the Gyongyi Molnar-trained CARLOS RAY, a winner of six of his nine races to date.

Dettori’s rides are complete by two rides in handicaps aboard Irish-bred horses, ORHAN for trainer Gabor Maronka in the Szabo Jozsef Handicap, and SAND STRONG, a winner on the all weather track at Budapest in June for trainer Pal Csontos, but who has yet to finish better than fourth in three races of turf.

The raceday starts at 12:00 pm UK time / 13:00 CET, the Kincsem Dij is due off at at 4:05 pm UK time / 17:05 CET, and can be seen here: https://kincsempark.hu/elo-verseny-kozvetites/

Racecard here: https://kincsempark.hu/data/versenyprogram/2023/versenyprogram_2023_09_02_galopp.pdf

Photo: Legendary jockey FRANKIE DETTORI, who travels to the Kincsem Park course in Budapest on Saturday, for the biggest raceday of the year in Hungary. (Photo copyright Darren Thrussell / Anglo German Racing).