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| Sumita Pawar |
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Frankie Dettori recently expressed a pessimistic view about the state of horse racing in the UK. According to him, the sport in Britain would face dire consequences without the enthusiasm and financial support from Middle Eastern owners.
Whilst in Australia participating in the reality TV show, I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Italian riding legend Frankie Dettori has expressed his disappointment in British racing and urged younger jockeys to consider moving abroad to experience the sport in other parts of the world.
Comparing the state of British racing to other jurisdictions, Dettori questioned why the UK, where racing originated, has fallen so far behind. He cited the disparity in prize money, with only six races in the UK worth over a million pounds, compared to the weekly million-dollar races in Australia, as a major contributing factor.
Dettori expressed that if he were a young jockey with a good weight, he wouldn't hesitate to move to Australia. He emphasized that prestige doesn't pay bills and called for an increase in prize money to attract more jockeys to the sport.
Dettori believes that despite the ongoing debate about prize money, there has been little change and he would like to see more transparency about where the money goes. He acknowledged the significant support for racing in Britain from the Middle East but stressed that without it, racing in the UK would suffer.
Last season, Dettori retired from race riding in Europe, and he is currently preparing for a winter stint in California. He plans to race in the Middle East in early 2024, including the Dubai World Cup and Saudi Cup, if his schedule permits. Although he withdrew from riding in Europe last autumn, many believe that he may still grace the UK racetracks again, particularly at Royal Ascot next summer.