Racing: Royal ban for Dettori

Frankie Dettori will miss the final day of Royal Ascot after he picked up a two-day ban at Epsom yesterday.

He was ruled out on 16 & 20 June for his riding of Fatefully in the Vodacall Victress Stakes.

Fatefully finished third behind Samara but was demoted to fourth after an inquiry found him guilty of careless riding.

Because he was given the minimum sentence, Dettori is free to ride on days when there is a Group One race, as there is on the first three days of Royal Ascot.

But by missing the Friday of the meeting he is ruled out of the Hardwicke Stakes, King's Stand Stakes, Wokingham Handicap and King Edward VII Stakes.

Dettori said: "I don't believe I rode into anybody." But the stewards found that Fatefully had interfered with Baked Alaska which in turn hampered Out West, placed fourth.

They considered it was caused by careless riding and had improved the placing of Fatefully who was demoted to fourth and Out West promoted to third.

Senior stewards secretary Patrick Hibbert-Foy said: "It was a borderline case and the stewards deliberated long and hard about their verdict.

"The stewards found Dettori guilty of careless riding because he did not make enough effort to avoid going left across five other runners about half a furlong after the start."