Frankie Dettori partnered Emily Upjohn in a gallop at Newmarket on Tuesday morning when John Gosden confirmed the Italian would be riding the filly on July 16 at the Irish Oaks.
Gosden, who trains in partnership with his son Thady, had said he and Dettori would be taking a “sabbatical”, an announcement that followed several high-profile losses this season. One of those hit Emily Upjohn in the Oaks when she narrowly lost after tripping off the floor.
There has been much speculation about the future of the Gosden-Dettori partnership but the 51-year-old has been asked to join Emily Upjohn in an early morning gallop on the July course. Gosden had said at Sandown on Saturday that he had been impressed by Dettori’s attitude since the break and that “he and I will be sane again when we get through this”. That now appears to be much sooner than many had imagined, with the Irish Oaks taking place at the Curragh next weekend.
Emily Upjohn was the second favorite for the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot but the decision was made to keep her against her own sex for now. She worked with an older stablemate and drew beautifully clear.
“It was a lovely floor and it’s in perfect condition for the July meeting. I was very pleased with her work and she points to the Irish Oaks,” said Gosden. “It’s nice to get them on the grass and get a feel for the track. We have decided to stay with the three-year-old mares for the time being. I have great respect for the two derby winners [Desert Crown and Westover] and the Arc winner [Torquator Tasso] all pointing to Ascot, so why not stick with the three year olds at this stage?
Looking back on their hapless run in the Oaks, Gosden added: “The less we say about Epsom, the better. The track wasn’t a problem at Epsom, it didn’t bother the track at all. You just can’t go left and go around the whole field. I don’t want to talk about it anymore as it’s over and over. Frankie has been at work up here and hopefully he will ride her. The plan is for him to ride her in the Irish Oaks, so he was up here this morning.
“You know what it’s about. I need a jockey who focuses. It can’t be a part-time job. As emphasized at Wimbledon, Rafa Nadal trains the most and the hardest in the mornings. That’s what it’s about and that’s very clear. I said I’m glad Frankie is handling it and getting rides everywhere else. It’s exactly what I wanted to see. He’s pretty proud of how few mounts he has in a season.
“I’m very aware that working with him over the last seven years we’ve been very careful about how we’ve handled it and the rides. He doesn’t have to rush onto the small tracks. Those days are over. We did this together in the 1990s, but I’m pretty sure we need to be more focused and a little less part-time, that’s all. That’s what it’s all about and nothing else. That’s all I’m going to say.”
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