Frankie Dettori has been snubbed for Royal Ascot by US trainer Wesley Ward in favour of bad boy jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
The 29-year-old has been presented with a golden opportunity to compete on equine torpedo Golden Pal, the current 2-1 favourite for the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes. The experienced trainer usually opts with the 51-year-old for events, but now Ward, the first American trainer to saddle a Royal Ascot winner in 2009, has put his faith in the red-hot Puerto Rican.
He said: "Irad is riding every one [of my horses]. Frankie is my man and I love him, but Irad is swinging right now in the States - he's the hottest rider in America.
