In his final season before retiring, Frankie Dettori won the 2,000 Guineas on Chaldean at Newmarket.
The 52-year-old Italian drew away in the final furlong to win the mile-long race by a length and three quarters over the 125-1 shot. Hello, Royal.
It was Dettori’s fourth victory in the first Classic race of the Flat season, with Chaldean second-favorite at 7-2.
Royal Scotsman finished third at 11-1, and Galeron finished fourth at 150-1.
“It was such a surreal moment,” Dettori told ITV Racing, “and I was thinking, ‘I hope I don’t wake up.'” “It’s incredible. I don’t want to cry, but it’s incredible.”
Dettori knew he only had one more chance to win the historic race, and his fourth triumph was never in doubt as Chaldean, trained by Andrew Balding, took the lead.
Hi Royal was ridden by three-time champion rider Oisin Murphy, who returned in February after serving a 14-month sentence for violations of Covid-19 guidelines and being above the alcohol limit twice.
“I was in a good situation. When I arrived at the top of the hill. Oisin kicked in and gave me a nice scare. But once I was free of him, it was all over and I could relax.
“I kept an eye on my left to see if the Coolmore horses were coming, but there was plenty of daylight.”
