Dettori makes rare trip to Newcastle for exciting star

Frankie Dettori is making a rare trip up to Newcastle on Friday to ride an exciting prospect for John and Thady Gosden, live on Sky Sports Racing.

The 51-year-old warms up for Guineas weekend by heading north to Gosforth Park, linking up once more with impressive debut winner Francesco Clemente in the quaffbox.com Novice Stakes (5.35).

Dettori has taken just three rides at Newcastle in the last five years, winning one.

Francesco Clemente, the first foal bred by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm out of their 1.2m guineas purchase Justlookdontouch, has been given a patient start to his career and started with a bang in the Wood Ditton Stakes.

He now steps up to a-mile-and-a-quarter and will be expected to follow up as the only previous winner in the eight-runner field.

Roger Varian’s Sonnerie Power might prove the main danger after a promising start to his career when third over a mile at Kempton in December.

Dettori has three rides on the day, including dual Newmarket winner Peter The Great in the Official After Party At Aveika Handicap (6.10).

The Gosdens’ four-year-old bids to bounce back from a disappointing sixth on seasonal reappearance at Pontefract earlier this month and faces Ghost Rider from the exciting yard of James Horton, who is operating at an impressive 33 per cent strike rate having won four of his first 12 races.

Over in France there are two Group Three contests on an action-packed card at Saint-Cloud.

Trainer Ed Walker sends over Listed winner Kawida, who holds an Oaks entry, for the Cleopatre Stakes (1.50), with Stephane Pasquier booked to ride.

After finishing second on her first two starts as a two-year-old last season, the daughter of Sir Percy got off the mark at Haydock before following up in the Montrose Fillies’ Stakes in October.

Watch every race from Newcastle, Saint-Cloud and Wolverhampton live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 535) on Friday April 29.