Editor's Blog
Misplaced Dettori similar to Farhh and Cityscape
17 May 2013
At least it was Frankie Dettori who made the connection, and nobody else. In last night’s Channel 4 mea culpa with Clare Balding, the world’s most famous jockey stated that he felt like Lance Armstrong because drugs testers could turn up at his door at any time.
In truth, it was a ludicrous link, and Dettori knew it - he let slip a little smirk having uttered the disgraced cyclist’s name.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour De France titles due to a concerted doping programme. His continued use of performance-enhancing drugs not only gave him a huge advantage over his other riders but also involved him coercing his team-mates into doing the same and to keep quiet.
Armstrong also repeatedly lied to his sport and to his fans that he had never taken performance-enhancing drugs.
By admitting that he tested positive for cocaine last night, Dettori merely aligned himself with the 12 million other people who have tried the drug in Britain.
Cocaine is hardly performance-enhancing if taken “in a moment of weakness,” and having been in the wrong place at the wrong time due to a spiralling momentum of depression Dettori simply ended up humiliating himself publicly and, in his words, privately by taking the drug.
Dettori was cautioned for possession of cocaine in 1993 when he was an apprentice jockey, but insisted last night that he was not a regular user.
The Italian also revealed that he believes the French authorities were not acting on information and that he was simply unlucky to be tested at Longchamp on September 16.
Dettori was tested six times in 2012 as a jockey by the British Horseracing Authority and he revealed in the past two months he has been tested 15 times.
In all the BHA tested around 1,700 jockeys in 2012 but considering France Galop also unmasked Keiren Fallon the BHA should surely try to learn a lot more from French procedures in recreational drug testing.
If Dettori was simply misplaced on that fateful day that cocaine entered his system, Cityscape and Farhh made a name of being in the wrong place at the wrong time last season when repeatedly they ran in to some of the best milers in the world.
Both line up in the JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday in a field that also includes the French 1,000 Guineas winner Beauty Parlour.
Farhh could not even keep tabs on Frankel’s shadow when beaten a total of 13 lengths in the Sussex Stakes and the Juddmonte International.
When the Godolphin horse had his sights lowered he was edged out by Moonlight Cloud at Longchamp on his last start. It was on the same card at which Dettori gave up his positive sample.
Cityscape had similar problems following is victory in the Group One Dubai Duty Free at Meydan last March. Roger Charlton’s charge found Frankel’s punchbag Excelebration far too good in two meetings, which sandwiched a defeat to Wise Dan, America’s Horse of the Year, at Woodbine.
Cityscape’s Dubai Duty Free demolition shows he is Group One calibre and Farhh has highlighted that he is a match for some of the best.
Which makes the price about Declaration Of War so surprising. I have no doubt that Aidan O’Brien’s colt will be competitive at the highest level throughout the course of the season.
He also has race fitness on his side following his win in a Listed contest at Leopardstown last month.
The Irish raider was matched at around 10-1 on the exchanges when the Lockinge market first went up but is now a best-priced 13-8. He could easily drift to 2-1 by the time the race starts.
I think 13-8 is a ludicrously short price, despite the colt’s obvious potential.
Cityscape and Farhh surely can’t run into another hotpot can they?
Weekend tip:
3.50 Newbury on Saturday: Lay Declaration Of War
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