Frankie Dettori’s dream of riding in a horse race against his youngest son Rocco are set to go unfulfilled before he retires.
The legendary jockey has revealed that Rocco, who started riding in pony races aged 12, has become too big to follow his father into a career in the saddle.
“Rocco, in Covid, he went into the gym and he turned out to be a pretty robust guy, strong and muscly so unfortunately his career is gone somewhere else,” said Dettori. “He still loves his riding but he is way too big and too strong.”
Of Dettori’s five children, Rocco was the one he considered most likely to ride professionally, saying in 2015: “If I had to tip one, it’s him. He has the physique and likes to go flat out.
In 2017 Rocco, then 12, won the Shetland Pony Grand National at the Windsor Horse Show and competed at other shows.
That fuelled ambitions that Dettori snr could experience the same thrill he had early in his career when he rode against his champion jockey father Gianfranco.
“I rode with my dad and it was an amazing experience and I’m very proud that I did it,” he told the Racing Post. “If [Rocco] wants to do it it’s an amazing ambition of mine to be able to ride with him. He can tell his children that we did it.
“Obviously as a parent I really don’t want him to do it but as a sportsman or as a way of life, if you love it then it’s really amazing. He seems to have the right physique and if he wants to pursue this sport I’m going to try to help him. It’s up to him."
Dettori, 52, was speaking on a media conference call for the £16 million Saudi Cup in which he is set to ride last year’s runner-up Country Grammer, who he rode to victory in last year’s Dubai World Cup.
The world famous jockey has announced he will retire after the 2023 Breeders’ Cup in November and has started his farewell tour in California where he rode the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer to victory on Boxing Day.
“He took me by surprise,” he said. “The first time I came here he was one of my first rides. The pressure was on but he won in style and I was super pleased with him. He still retains all the ability. It was a good start to the season.
“Bob made it very clear to me the Saudi Cup was to be the next target. He is super consistent, unfazed about anything, He’s solid. He’s going to bring his A-game.”
