Surprise greets Swinburn switch

The racing world was yesterday still coming to terms with the surprise announcement that Walter Swinburn has lost the ride on his Derby winner, Lammtarra, to Lanfranco Dettori in Saturday's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Dettori's agent, Matty Cowing, said: "The first Frankie knew about it was when he rang me on Tuesday. He's looking forward to it, but of course he has sympathy for Walter."

Swinburn's brother, Michael, who runs the Genesis Green Stud in Newmarket, reckoned the jockey will have taken the news philosophically. "It happens and that's racing," he said. "He was happy to have the ride in the Derby and they can't jock him off that now."

But Reg Hollinshead, with whom Swinburn served his apprenticeship, said of the switch by the Godolphin team: "I am surprised and disappointed. What did he have to do? He had reached the moon for them."