He began by finishing sixth in Scotland and he hopes to end it in Yorkshire with a 24th British classic victory to take him into a joint third on the all-time list.
Frankie Dettori’s first ride in a British classic was on N C Owen for Luca Cumani at the age of just 18, in a St Leger (G1) switched to Ayr in 1989.
His first win was on Balanchine in the Epsom Oaks (G1) in 1994 and a seventh St Leger success Sept. 16 at Doncaster in his final classic before retirement would make it 24 overall, matching Jem Robinson and putting him behind only Lester Piggott (30) and Frank Buckle (27).
Dettori puts his trust in the Gosden stable, for whom he has already won the St Leger on Shantou and Logician , although a late switch means he is on Arrest rather than former favorite Gregory .
The jockey has won the Chester Vase Stakes (G3) and Geoffrey Freer Stakes (G3) on the colt, of whom Thady Gosden said: “Arrest won very well at Newbury last time over a mile and five when he handled an easy surface well.
“The unscheduled rain earlier in the week will play to his strengths and the extra yardage should also be in his favor. We’re very pleased with him and he took his race very well. He’s in top order.”
Kieran Shoemark takes Dettori’s place on Gregory, who is reckoned better than the bare form of his front-running third in the Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) at York.
“He went a little quick early,” John Gosden said. “There were three of them trying to make the lead in order to boss the race and they got in a bit of a scramble together early on. The winner came from 20 lengths out the back.
“He actually ran a really good race and when Frankie accepted the fact and put his hands down, he galloped out well to the line and after the line. He came out of it in very good order.
“He’s got a great mind, he’s a pretty laid-back character. I trained both the mother and the father, and he’s inherited all their good traits and their mental attitude to racing. I think he’ll enjoy the distance.”
The yard also runs Middle Earth, who won at York under Oisin Murphy, and Thady Gosden said: “Middle Earth has progressed well this year, most recently when winning a competitive renewal of the Melrose Handicap at York.
“There has been a significant amount of rain since the entry was made and as he’s such a good-actioned horse we are hopeful, rather than confident, he will handle the ground.”
Arrest and Gregory are joint second choices with William Hill at 9-2, behind 3-1 favorite Continuous , while Middle Earth is 11-1 in a field of nine.
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