Frankie Dettori has paid a heartfelt tribute to an Australian jockey on the one year anniversary of his tragic death.
Chris Caserta, who was of Italian heritage, idolised Dettori and was following in his footsteps forging a successful career in Queensland. He died aged 26 when he disappeared after going for a late night swim at the Surfers Paradise Beach on the Gold Coast.
During a recent trip to Australia, Dettori rode a horse for trainer Steven Wise in honour of of the late rider, whose daughter Brittany was dating Caserta at the time of his death on December 1, 2021.
Dettori acknowledged the risks jockeys take on the track but admitted it was a huge shock to hear how Caserta lost his life.
“A jockey’s life is one of continual peril so you don’t expect something awful like this to happen off the track,” he told News Corp.
“Chris was a great rider and probably would have gone on to have an outstanding career.”
Dettori finished third on the Wise-trained Valiant when he teamed up with the horse in a handicap at Randwick on November 1, the day of the Melbourne Cup.
At the time a tearful Wise explained the booking to Channel 7. “My late son-in-law Chris Caserta was a jockey, [dating] my daughter Brittany," he said.
"Chris was a passionate little Italian and he absolutely idolised Frankie. When it turned out there was an opportunity, I messaged Frankie's manager. I sent a picture of Chris and Frankie together some time back in the jockeys' room.
"As soon as I messaged, I got a reply within about 10 minutes and he said, 'I'm on'. It was incredible."
Caserta began his career in Victoria but moved to Queensland in 2020 where he had ridden five winners during the 2021-22 season out of a career total of 154 victories.
He had taken a dip in the sea with 25-year-old fellow jockey Amy Graham when they were caught in a rip tide and, though bystanders rushed to their aid, only Graham was rescued. Caserta’s body was recovered the following morning.
