Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori felt snubbed by the BBC when the Sports Personality of the Year award went to Mary Earps. The famed jockey stayed absent from the glitzy event to make his disappointment known. However, moments later, he relented, appeared before the camera, and apologized to the race fans for his premature retirement announcements.

The awkward apology struck a chord with many fans, and when Frankie Dettori announced his exodus to the United States, it sparked a mixture of emotions among his loyal supporters.

Frankie Dettori issues a fresh apology to racing fans

In 2022, Dettori appeared on ITV to proclaim his retirement decision. Thus, many expected the 2023 Champion Stakes to be his last ride in the saddle. In anticipation of the momentous occasion, the British racetrack officials created murals and even placed a statue of the celebrated jockey at the Ascot racecourse. However, in October, Frankie Dettori kept competing in the horse racing competitions. Recently, Frankie Dettori delivered another shock to British horse racing fans by announcing his emigration to the United States. He bid farewell to his supporters in a heartfelt video on X with the caption, “And they’re off…”.

Standing outside Terminal 5 at the International Airport, Frankie Dettori and his girlfriend Catherine Allen greeted the fans via social media. With a flurry of flying kisses and Christmas greetings, the champion jockey announced his move. Earlier, he had explained his decision, saying, “…well, I can’t really carry on in England because they organized so many farewell tours for me and a statue at Ascot…so my only option was emigrating to the USA”. The video evoked a mix of nostalgia and yearning in the fans.

British fans bid a tearful goodbye to Frankie Dettori

Frankie Dettori was overwhelmed by the emotional responses in the comment section. One fan wished him better luck, saying,

The next fan bid goodbye to the horse racing royalty, writing,

Another fan tried to cheer Dettori up, remarking,

The next fan announced his support for Dettori’s SPOTY nomination, stating,

Lastly, one fan fixed the date of their next meeting, writing,

Read More: “Not Get Paid”: Frankie Dettori Shocks ‘I’m a Celebrity’ Contestants by Revealing Jockey Setbacks

Notwithstanding the feeling of loss, the fans are titillated by the promise of a new chapter in Frankie Dettori’s career. Will the jockey step into the American racing scene?

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