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
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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…”.
‘And they’re off…’ 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/eJFi8kO0xT
— Frankie Dettori (@FrankieDettori) December 22, 2023
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,
Best of luck over there Frankie. Merry Christmas 🎄
— Karl Hedley (@TumbleweedKing) December 22, 2023
The next fan bid goodbye to the horse racing royalty, writing,
Sad to see you go😢. No doubt flags will fly on half mast as Britain 🇬🇧will miss you. But on the bright side I’m sure we’ll see you back racing by July next year. 😉Merry Christmas 🎄
— Erich K (@chef2jockeys) December 22, 2023
Another fan tried to cheer Dettori up, remarking,
Glad to have you back Frankie at The Great Race Place for one more go around.👍
— Curt Larson (@syncopate100) December 22, 2023
The next fan announced his support for Dettori’s SPOTY nomination, stating,
Best Wishes Frankie, a genuine legend in the sport 🐎, Many great memories, and the true SPOTY . Good Luck pal.
— Ellyoueffcee (@leeder01) December 22, 2023
Lastly, one fan fixed the date of their next meeting, writing,
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See you at Royal Ascot
— billmarston15 (@billmarston2023) December 22, 2023
Read More: “Not Get Paid”: Frankie Dettori Shocks ‘I’m a Celebrity’ Contestants by Revealing Jockey Setbacks
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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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