Dettori fall puts Arc ride in doubt

Frankie Dettori suffered an ankle injury on Wednesday, raising questions over the jockey's fitness to ride leading contender Treve in France's prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe this weekend. The 42-year-old Italian, who has long been based in Britain, had to be helped off the track in a wheelchair after a fall before a race at Nottingham, central England. Dettori was unshipped from Eland Ally prior to the 32Red.com Handicap and was unable to put any weight on his right leg as he attempted to get to his feet. "The physio is assessing it," racecourse doctor Chris Reynolds told the Racing Post. "He's sprained his right ankle bu there's no bone damage just soft tissue and he won't need an x-ray." Asked if the injury would put Dettori's participation in Europe's richest race in doubt, Reynolds issued a positive response. "For a fit sportsman you're probably looking at a few days, so it's certainly not impossible that he'll be okay for Sunday," he said. Despite the course doctor feeling an x-ray was unnecessary Dettori, unhappy at the level of discomfort, is travelling back to Newmarket to be assessed by his own doctor and have an x-ray. Dettori, a three-time British champion jockey, would be riding in his 26th successive Arc on Sunday and if he won it he would equal the record for wins in it as a jockey with four. The ride on Treve -- unbeaten in her four starts including impressive wins in the French Oaks and the Group One Arc trial the Prix Vermeille a fortnight ago -- has brightened up what has been a trying year for Dettori. He served a six month suspension for testing positive for cocaine -- he failed the test at the Arc trials last year -- but picked up the lucrative contract with Sheikh Joann al-Thani, younger brother of Qatar's emir, at the end of June. The sheikh bought Treve after her win in the French Oaks for a reported 7million euros ($9.4million dollars) and is seen as the likeliest threat to Japanese favourite Orfevre. Only on Tuesday Dettori, who blamed his taking the cocaine on his deteriorating relationship with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum for whose Godolphin Operation he had ridden for 18 years, told AFP how lucky he was to have landed such a job. "I am on a different planet now, last year I was with a stable where I wasn't wanted," he said. "It was very frustrating and my self esteem was at an all time low by the end of my time with Godolphin. "However, now I start again, I'm only 42 after all! My mind now is clearer and I am happy. "It is a new and fresh challenge." Source: AFP