Former top jockey says Frankie Dettori ‘insulted me’ with comments on British racing
FRANKIE DETTORI left a former top jockey ‘highly insulted’ with his comments on the state of British racing.
Legendary rider Dettori has turned his back on his adopted home country to continue his career in America.
The biggest name in the sport bowed out of Ascot in style with a thrilling last-to-first ride on King Of Steel at Champions Day in October.
And previous wins in the 2000 Guineas and Ascot Gold Cup, among others this year, have seen him nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
But Dettori irked former jumps jockey David Crosse with his opinion on racing in Britain.
Dettori famously came here from Italy as a 14-year-old with £300 to his name.
But he said in one interview that, having his time again, he wouldn’t choose to start out here.
Dettori told the Racing Post: “If I was a young jockey now and my weight was good I wouldn’t think twice to live here (Britain). Prestige doesn’t pay bills.
“Thirty years ago when I did it, it was different, but now the world of racing has passed us ten fold.
“I’d go to America or Australia and start a career there.”
But Crosse, who won the Kim Muir at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival on Nicky Henderson’s Bushkeeper, couldn’t believe what he had read.
Speaking on Luck on Sunday, Crosse, when asked about Dettori’s verdict on the state of British racing, said: “I was highly insulted with those comments.
“To come out and say this country, which has made his career – and mine, I have only good things to say about it.
“For Frankie to say that at the end of his career – it didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth if I’m honest.”
Dettori went onto say in the article that he felt Britain was ‘lacking massively compared to the rest of the world’.
He is 20-1 to be crowned SPOTY tonight while England women’s goalkeeper Mary Earps is the huge 1-14 favourite.
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