Frankie Dettori and Kieren Fallon made a victorious return to the domestic racing scene at Windsor today when, fresh from their respective triumphs in Dubai, they scored on their first rides of the new turf Flat season.
Dettori had an armchair ride on Verbose in the Bourne End Maiden Fillies' Stakes, but only after the John Gosden-trained three-year-old had played up at the start and all but refused to enter the stalls.
While Fallon was at his strongest to bring Ian Balding's Sign Of Hope from well off the pace to justify favouritism, at 11-2, in the Burford Handicap.
Talk immediately focused on the jockeys' title, but while reigning champion Fallon is quietly confident about retaining his crown, Dettori gave some forthright reasons why regaining it is a daunting task.
Two-time champion Dettori explained: "I think another championship is very unlikely for me although you can be assured I'll be trying my best. I've lost all the good rides from David Loder and now that John Gosden has moved to Manton I shan't get the same amount as I used to do from him as I imagine Jimmy Fortune will be riding all the Sangster horses and more.
"To win the title you need a stable of at least 200 behind you like Henry Cecil or Michael Stoute and while at Godolphin we have super quality right the way down the line we don't have the same amount of ammunition numerically."
Dettori stressed that he is as determined as ever, however, and he added: "I'm going to Newcastle tomorrow and will be travelling the length of the country as I'm keen to kick some winners in and get to the century mark as quickly as possible. Just as in every other season I'm trying to ride as many winners as I can."
Fallon, whose Nad Al Sheba triumph on Sir Michael Stoute's Fantastic Light was only surpassed by Dettori's stunning triumph on Dubai Millennium in the Dubai World Cup, explained that he regarded Jimmy Fortune as the main threat to his jockeys' championship hopes.
The Irishman observed: "I spent four months in Hong Kong and my total of a dozen winners would have been greater had I not fallen foul of the changed rules out there and twice got suspended.
"I had a quiet time riding in the Jockeys' Challenge at Santa Anita and only managed one second, though in fairness neither Frankie, Mick Kinane or Gerald Mosse never got a look in either. I'm sure Chris McCarron must have made the draw!"
Of his attempt to make 2000 the year of his fourth championship, Fallon added: "Obviously my big aims are the title and the Classics and I just hope we have a nice clean season and that I don't make too many mistakes.
"I'm quite lucky in that I never feel the pressure even though the opposition is tough and I've always said that if he got the breaks Jimmy Fortune would be the man to do well and push me hardest.
"That said, Kevin Darley has made a great start in the north and Frankie is always going to be there and will be on a real high after his World Cup win. But I feel very good about everything and if you're riding with confidence it tends to flow all the way through your body."
