Frankie Dettori’s shoulder injury was partly the cause of a disappointing effort by Shutter Speed in the French Oaks, her trainer said on Monday. John Gosden’s charge appears to have a lot to do as a 10-1 shot in a hot-looking lineup for the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday but the trainer is clear that her most recent bit of form understates her ability.
“Things didn’t go quite to plan in the Prix de Diane,” Gosden said on Monday at his Newmarket base. “It was a very hot day and she didn’t travel that great. And the jock was in a lot of pain in the closing stages. She should have been a good second, I think.”
Instead Shutter Speed lost two places close home in the June race at Chantilly, having hung across the track to the far rail in the final 100 yards. Gosden does not suggest she could have beaten the winner, Senga, with a stronger ride but clearly feels she might have resisted the late challenges of Sistercharlie and Terrakova.
Dettori had broken his shoulder in two places in a paddock fall at Yarmouth five days earlier, though the break was still undiagnosed at the time of the Diane. Two days later the Italian ruled himself out of Royal Ascot and was on the sidelines until mid-July. As it turned out, Shutter Speed was the only ride he took in the week after his injury.
While Dettori was not able to give of his best in the Diane and was still not able to ride every day on his return to action, he appears to have hit something like top form since. In the past three weeks he has won the Stewards’ Cup, the Prix Jacques Le Marois and won three times from five rides at Newbury on Friday, the most recent day he was in action in Britain.
He and Shutter Speed were supposed to race at Deauville on Sunday but “sticky” ground at the Normandy track forced connections to switch her to Wednesday’s race. “She’s fine,” Gosden said. “I’m very conscious she’s the only filly in there but we’re happy with her at home. She’s got a lot of speed.”
Gosden has a more obvious chance of York success with his only other runner on Wednesday’s card, Cracksman in the Great Voltigeur. Having been placed in the Derby and the Irish Derby on his last two starts, the colt was cut to even-money for this race from 11-8 after Aidan O’Brien’s Capri, who beat him at The Curragh, was missing from the final entries.
“We had to come around five of Aidan’s that day, so we were very wide into the straight,” Gosden said. “Obviously the best horse in the race was Wings Of Eagles, who got a nasty injury. We didn’t get the rub of the green but we didn’t suffer what he suffered, so I’m philosophical about the race. Anyway, he’s done well since, we’ve freshened him up. There are other grand colts in there. The race has an open feel to it.”
Gosden is keenly aware that, with three O’Brien-trained runners in the field of eight, the Irish raiders may try to control the race in some way. “You never quite know what’s going to happen. You’ve got to have your wits about you.”
Venice Beach appears to be O’Brien’s main contender for the Voltigeur, since he is the mount of Ryan Moore. The pair will be reunited for the first time since winning the Chester Vase in May. O’Brien also fields Spanish Steps and Douglas Macarthur.
Churchill and Cliffs Of Moher will represent the Irish stable in the International, with Moore aboard Churchill. Godolphin’s Barney Roy is the 11-4 favourite, just ahead of Churchill and Ulysses.
The Irish Turf Club expects to make a decision this week about whether the jump jockey Davy Russell will face a formal disciplinary hearing over an incident at Tramore on Friday when he appeared to hit his mount before a race. Turf Club officials will review footage and speak to Russell in the next few days.
Russell appeared unrepentant in his column in the Irish Daily Star. “I’m not sure everyone on social media quite understands how a thoroughbred racehorse handles at race-time, but I am happy to speak to the Turf Club about this,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the Turf Club are looking at what happened at Tramore, so I cannot really go into the specifics. The situation with Kings Dolly was an ordinary enough situation and I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. I ride every horse to win, no matter what, and would never do anything to hamper its chances.”
Tuesday’s tips, by Chris Cook
Brighton
2.00 Taajub 2.30 Al Ozzdi 3.00 Hallingham 3.30 Kings City 4.00 Buxted Dream 4.30 The Bear Can Fly 5.00 Alketios
Kempton
2.15 Red For Danger 2.45 Sicario 3.15 Ambrosia 3.45 Anna Medici (nap) 4.15 Manton Grange 4.45 Maakaasib 5.15 Wolfcatcherjack (nb)
Yarmouth
4.40 Wild Illusion 5.10 Mambo Dancer 5.40 Rubensian 6.10 Waitomo 6.40 Dor’s Law 7.10 Multicultural 7.40 See Vermont
Newton Abbot
5.30 Gustave Mahler 6.00 Classic Jewel 6.30 Coeur Tantre 7.00 Honkytonktennessee 7.30 Ambre Des Marais 8.00 Our Folly
