Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori and top trainer John Gosden, who has had a very successful partnership, announced their mutual decision to "take a sabbatical" following a meeting at the trainer's Clarehaven stable in Newmarket.

Gosden, the renowned grand master of the training profession, and Dettori, the most well-known jockey in the world, have frequently celebrated victories at the top level. However, their longstanding relationship became severely strained following contentious losses at Royal Ascot.

Gosden publicly criticized Dettori after his ride on the Queen's colt Saga finished second in the Britannia Handicap and after Dettori was defeated on Stradivarius in the Ascot Gold Cup. Gosden claimed that Dettori's ride on Stradivarius, attempting to win the main event of the Royal meeting with a record-equaling fourth victory, had been "overcomplicated." After Will Buick left to ride for Godolphin in 2015, Dettori was hired as Gosden's replacement stable jockey. Since then, the partnership has dominated the sport in the UK with the help of horses like Enable, Cracksman, Stradivarius, and Golden Horn.

The horses trained by John are the only ones in history to win the Cartier Awards for Horse of the Year, Three-Year-Old Champion Colt, and Three-Year-Old Champion Filly in the same calendar year. Gosden received the OBE designation in the 2017 New Year's Honours for his contributions to horseracing and training.

What Happened Between John Gosden and Frankie Dettori?

John Gosden, a renowned trainer, and legendary jockey Frankie Dettori have decided to have a "sabbatical." They decided to "take a sabbatical" after an amicable meeting at the trainer's Clarehaven stable in Newmarket.

At Royal Ascot, Dettori was criticized by Gosden for a string of losses, and their friendship hasn't recovered since. The trainer will continue riding without a recognized No. 1 rider. Gosden's and his co-trainer Thady's decision to pass on booking Dettori for three rides at Newmarket led to speculation over their relationship. Dettori has been on vacation since Royal Ascot ended last Saturday, and Gosden wanted to discuss the decision face-to-face.

In a statement, Gosden said, "Frankie and I have mutually agreed to take a break from our roles as trainer and jockey, but we will always be the closest of friends and colleagues." Frankie is the best international jockey, and over the past three decades, we have experienced several significant victories together. Frankie has always been a member of the family here, so I was eager to meet him when he returned from his post-Ascot vacation. "

At Royal Ascot, Dettori had a frightening experience when he and Gosden started to have relationship problems. Gosden harshly criticized several of Dettori's rides during the meeting, most notably his well-publicized loss on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup and a following close defeat while riding the Queen's Saga in the Britannia Stakes.

Although he is riding at the track, Dettori will not be riding any of Gosden's three runners at Newmarket. Gosden is mainly responsible for his success in recent years. For owner and friend Marc Chan, Frankie will be riding Lezoo, trained by Ralph Beckett, for the first time since the royal meeting in a listed fillies' race (2.05).

Seven Great Years Between John Gosden And Frankie Dettori

Frankie Dettori was named the new stable jockey for Gosden after Will Buick left to ride for Godolphin in 2015. Their collaboration got off to a fantastic start in 2015, highlighted by Golden Horn's victories in the Derby, Eclipse, Irish Champion Stakes, and Arc. Dettori gave up his position as retained rider for Sheikh Joaan Al Thani's Al Shaqab Racing in 2018 to focus on the position at Clarehaven after Enable's impressive performance as a three-year-old in 2017.

A legendary year for Dettori followed, highlighted by a second Arc for Enable, but major races started to go wrong in June 2021. Gosden's first notable public criticism of the rider came on Champions Day when Baaeed defeated Palace Pier.

Stradivarius's Gold Cup performance that year did not go as planned, a situation repeated a year later. The last straw was a disappointing Royal Ascot, although Dettori at least rode excellent Coronation Stakes heroine Inspiral to one Group 1 victory for the yard. Gosden has won the hearts and minds of thousands of people as a voice for racing in the twenty-first century.

As Frankie broke off his relationship with Godolphin Racing, he went to Gosden for assistance. His leadership paved the foundation for a successful partnership highlighted by exceptional horses like Enable, Cracksman, Golden Horn, and Palace Pier. Those ties should continue even if the five-time champion trainer chooses to name a new stable jockey.

Frankie Dettori Stopped By John Gosden For Weekend Rides

As the rider and trainer conflict continues, Frankie Dettori won't be riding for John Gosden. Dettori has the sole ride at Newmarket for Ralph Beckett rather than Gosden, though neither camp has acknowledged a split. Gosden has substituted James Doyle and Rab Havlin for his regular backup plan.

After the Italian jockey lost on Stradivarius and The Queen's pair of Reach For The Moon and Saga at Royal Ascot, Gosden harshly criticized his longtime stable jockey. Gosden continued to put the boot in even after Dettori rode Inspiral to victory in the Derby Stakes.

Something breaks when things go wrong on the racetrack, especially on the beaten ride on Stradivarius in the Ascot Gold Cup. Gosden has declared he won't hire a stable jockey for the current campaign, which might turn the rest of the year into a series of auditions with David Egan and Hollie Doyle as prospective options.

Without Gosden's support, it won't be so simple, especially considering Dettori's numerous commercial obligations away from the track. Dettori hasn't ridden since Royal Ascot, but he'll be returning soon, and his first mount will be Beckett's Lezoo for owner Marc Chan, with whom he has a close friendship. The runners for Gosden will be teamed up by Doyle and Havlin: Sunray Major, Stowell, and Mimikyu.

Dettori has been booking his rides since his longtime agent Ray Cochrane retired because his stable of mounts was so manageable because of his careful selection, which focused on quality with a lighter schedule than his competitors.

John Gosden Stated Frankie Is Most Superb International Jockey 

Gosden mentioned his seven years working with Dettori, including three victories in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a Derby victory. He also confirmed that Rab Havlin and James Doyle would be riding the stable's runners, Stowell and Sunray.

Dettori has won the title of Champion Jockey three times and has guided more than 500 group race winners, including 20 classic English successes. His most notable accomplishment was riding all seven winners on British Champions' Day at Ascot in 1996. Dettori has been working as a freelance jockey since the end of 2012 after parting ways with Godolphin Racing, where he was a stable jockey and earned most of his significant race victories.

Dettori guided Journey to victory for Gosden in the Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, bringing his total number of victories in a domestic season to 85, his most since 2010. Dettori's sixth victory comes when Enable wins the Arcs two in a row.

Before Enable went on to win a magnificent Breeders' Cup Turf, Dettori and Gosden also won Group 1 races in the autumn with Too Darn Hot and Cracksman. 2020 marks Dettori and Gosden's second triumphant Royal Ascot, with Palace Pier taking home the St. James's Palace Stakes and Stradivarius winning his third Gold Cup. Enable wins King George for the third time but loses the Arc for the second consecutive year.

After winning the Oaks for Gosden on Anapurna in June 2019, Dettori had a spectacular Royal Ascot, riding the first four winners on Gold Cup day. As a result, several bookies stopped taking multiple wagers on Dettori's rides. Dettori loses the Gold Cup in 2022 while riding Stradivarius and experiences running issues once more.