Frankie Dettori winning the Epsom Derby

Dettori hoping 'Wind' blows to classic treble

Jun 06, 2007

Dual Derby winning jockey, Frankie Dettori is hoping to land a third classic in eight days when he partners West Wind in the Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks) on Sunday.

The filly, owned by Sheikh Mohammed, was an impressive winner of her previous start and this has prompted her connections to supplement her for the fillies classic at a cost of €48,000. The Alex Pantall trained daughter of Machiavellian was reported in fine form by her trainer on Tuesday as he put the final touches to her preparations. 

All eyes will be on West Wind at Chantilly this weekend who will bid to continue Dettori's big-race success following his Derby double with Authorized and Lawman. If he is successful on Sunday, Dettori will be the first jockey to land the French Derby/Oaks double since 1956.

 
Sunday's classic could also mark the beginning of a revolution in global totalisator betting. The Prix de Diane Hermes is the first race in a pilot programme involving ten countries in a "global trifecta" and coordinated by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The global trifecta, which involves selecting the first three horses in the correct order, is a bet enabling punters in ten different countries to bet into a single pool on the race through their own individual tote services. 

The other races which form part of the programme are the St James's Palace Stakes and Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Tote operators in the UK and Ireland, Brazil, Germany, Monaco, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the US apart from the French PMU are taking part in this first stage of what could develop into a huge global betting pool.

As Maurits Bruggink, the IFHA's Executive Director, says "this is the dawn of an exciting new era".