Simon Crisford has confirmed that Mikel Barzalona has replaced Frankie Dettori as the Godolphin number one rider. Personally I am glad they have come out and stated this to the RP whether people agree with it or not. Hopefully there will be no more messing around. *EDIT - RACING POST ARE A JOKE #Godolphin Statement: There is no truth in the Frankie Dettori retirement rumours. He remains the senior jockey at #Godolphin
As much as I respect Dettori, and regard him as one of the greats of our sport, I have to agree with this decision.* Dettori has taken his eye off the ball the last few years, riding less and less, and I think his form as a jockey has suffered.* If Dettori wants to get back to his best he needs to ride more, and not just show up at the big meetings. It is impossible to be as sharp as other guys when there riding triple the amount of horses every week. I really hope Dettori comes back better than ever, but I do wonder wether he still has the hunger*to work his way back to the top.* As for Barzalona, he is an incredibly talented jockey, and he will take some shifting as Godolphins number 1*
That's the problem stick, Dettori is the closest thing racing has to a 'poster boy'! he is the house wife's favourite. Racing needs Dettori, so I hope he takes this setback as a kick up the ****, and starts getting back to the genius who rode 7 winners in a row at Ascot. Obviously he's a family man these days, and has plenty of cash in the bank, so I do have my doubts as to wether he will come back from this big setback. Let's just hope he still has that hunger to prove he's one of the best again
When as he said that Rainbow? As far as Im aware from what I've read Simon Crisford as said rides will be shared across the board. It is probably true that Dettori's reign as number one is looking abit unsteady and the fact that he missed out on Kailani in the Oaks looks ominous but Barzalona as been riding out of his skin alate so I reckon they thought they'd keep there faith in him espcially after his masterful ride on Pour Moi in the Derby last year. I doubt Godolphin are giving up on Dettori the man as been nothing but top class over the years for Godolphin...
Are people just totally ignoring the BIG EDIT in the middle of the page EDIT - RACING POST ARE A JOKE (They reported that Barzalona was new number 1) #Godolphin Statement: There is no truth in the Frankie Dettori retirement rumours. He remains the senior jockey at #Godolphin
I think someone has a fake Godolphin twitter account as Godolphin (the real one ) tweeted last night to say that they were the only official source for Godolphin news and not to believe anyone else! In this morning's RP Frankie says he feels he has another 5 years of riding in him and that whilst disappointed to not have the ride in the Oaks it was the boss' decision. He also said that Coolmore had approached him about riding one of their fillies, which Sheikh Mo gave his blessing to, but that she had not been declared for the race.
On Friday’s “The One Show” on BBC1, Frankie Dettori said that he is not retiring and pointed to the likes of Mick Kinane going on until they were fifty, so I would not write him off just yet. And young Monsieur Barzalona has got a lot of work to do if he wants to replace Lanfranco as the current housewives’ favourite.
