Race-goers at Ascot, wearing top hats, morning suits and fancy frocks, were stunned to find the Frankie Dettori statue hidden away behind an army of wheelie bins
Race-goers blasted Ascot bosses yesterday as wheelie bins were dumped near a statue of the world famous jockey Frankie Dettori.
Guests at the posh festival found the bronze sculpture – depicting the super jockey performing one of his trademark flying dismounts – surrounded by wheelie bins. One fan said: “It’s a bloody outrage” while another reveller added: “It looks like Frankie’s been dumped.”
The life-sized statue marks Dettori, 54, riding all seven winners in one day at the Berkshire course in 1996 at staggering odds of 25,051/1. Fans – and bookies – yesterday said they therefore felt it was disrespectful the bins had been abandoned in front of the statue, erected in 2001 by Ascot management.
One visitor said: “It’s a shame. Frankie’s a hero to everyone here. He’s won us all money. I think they should leave the bins where they are and move the statue to a more prominent position. Lots of people will want selfies taken with it. They’re missing a trick.”
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The sculpture, near the Royal Enclosure, and shows the Italian jockey performing his trademark flying dismount. The army of bins has grown as the week has progressed, according to the Daily Star with, at one stage, six wheelies lined up in front of the statue.
When an official spotted photographers taking pictures of the bins two were wheeled away and the others were hastily moved to the side, our sister publication added.
But the sight did not go unnoticed by guests at the four-day race meeting, a highlight in the sporting calendar. One said: “It’s like an after-thought. It should be in the parade ring to mark where he did his dismounts. It’s a bloody outrage.” Another said: “I guess this just proves one minute you’re hot and the next you’re not. It’s a bit like someone’s book ending up in the bargain basement section.”
Another joked: “Bloody hell… it’s just like Birmingham,” in a jibe to the city’s ongoing bin strike chaos. Mountains of full rubbish bags and overflowing wheelie bins are lining residential strikes there amid the turmoil.
Dettori, who was born in Milan, announced he was filing for bankruptcy in March after a tax dispute. The racing legend, made an MBE in 2001, had been attempting to untangle his tax arrangements in Britain after they were challenged by HMRC after moving to the US.
But fans and pundits said this shouldn’t detract from Dettori’s impressive career and fury around the bins. His “Magnificent Seven” triumphs at odds of more than 25,000/1 at the Festival of British Racing in September 1996 cleaned the bookies out of £1million – and has never been matched since.
A spokesman for a major bookmaker said: “It does seem just a little bit trashy of Ascot at Britain’s showpiece meeting to place the bins in front of Frankie after the Italian stallion smashed us for millions with his 25,000/1 Magnificent Seven.”
Daily Star and the Mirror has approached Ascot for comment. Dettori has not responded to requests for comment.