Flat 2023 predictions: Frankie Dettori retirement, prize-money fury, a jockey to follow and a new champion racehorse
THEY say opinions are like bumholes — we all have one and they usually stink.
Except for mine, of course. I came out of Cheltenham smelling of roses after predicting Willie Mullins would get nowhere near his 2022 tally of 10 winners.
GettyFrankie Dettori will be the centre of attention in the 2023 Flat season[/caption]
In the end, he had six to move him on to 94 Festival winners. No doubt he will hit the ton next year.
Anyway, the powers-that-be were so impressed they thought it would be a grand idea if I shared my opinions on, and predictions for, the new Flat season which gets underway at Donny today.
And, while I’m at it, I will try my hardest not to mention the F-word.
You see, I think I’ve got a touch of the ‘Frankie Tourettes’.
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I seem to find myself writing about the Italian stallion every Saturday.
But I will just say this — I reckon John Gosden will follow his old pal into retirement at the end of the year.
Legendary trainer Johnny G, who has over 3,500 winners to his name, has been readying his boy wonder Thady for the top job for a number of years now.
The 27-year-old whipper- snapper has been taking on more and more responsibility at Clarehaven.
The time seems right for Gosden and Frankie to head off into the sunset at the same time so fresh-faced Thady can bring in his own stable jock at the start of a new era.
It’s one of the best jobs in world racing, so no doubt there will be plenty of suitors. For my money, I reckon a squeaky-clean, steady-Eddie like James Doyle could get the gig.
It may just come a little too soon in the career of the exotically-named Benoit de la Sayette, who is my jockey to follow this season.
You don’t exactly need to be Brain Of Britain to see my logic — he was champion apprentice last year after all — and I confidently predict he will notch 100 winners and a first Group 1.
He is as smooth as silk in the saddle and whenever I watch him I just think: “That’s a baby Frankie.”
For Frankie’s Sake, I’m still talking about him, aren’t I?
Those who backed the ‘over’ in Frankie mentions, form an orderly queue.
Everyone is expecting Charlie Appleby to win the trainer’s title again, but I’m not so sure.
The excellent Andrew Balding has flirted with the title for a while now and has a particularly nice team of young horses this year, including top three-year-old Chaldean. He’s my pick to pip Charlie.
To win the championship you need to trouser a hell of a lot of wonga — and I’m predicting pathetic prize-money levels will be a sore topic all year. Top boys like Ralph Beckett are already getting wound up and it’s only April 1.
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Take Thirsk this coming Tuesday, for example. The ENTIRE card is worth just £44k with an average first-place prize of just £3,300.
That’s not going to help Beckett’s blood pressure.
Outside of the big meetings it makes little financial sense to own horses in the UK — no wonder so many runners in the 80-100 rating band are being shipped off overseas.
Serious change is needed but, with ineffective leadership across the industry, it ain’t coming anytime soon.
We said bye bye to the big Baaeed wolf who wore lamb’s clothing for his final run at the end of last term.
But I reckon Derby hero Desert Crown will step up and fill the top dog void.
He was crocked for the second half of 2022 but, mark my words, he is capable of winning everything from the Champion Stakes to the Champions League for wily Barbadian Sir Michael Stoute.
But FFS, whatever happens this season, it will belong to one man, Frankie.
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