Dettori earns Royal Ascot redemption on brilliant Inspiral after wretched week

It had been, as Frankie Dettori admitted afterwards, “a tough week for me and a tough week for [John Gosden’s] Clarehaven” before the Coronation Stakes here on Friday, but his difficulties on Thursday were largely consigned to history in the afternoon’s feature race, as Inspiral stormed past her field and into an unassailable lead to give both jockey and trainer their first winner of this year’s Royal meeting.

It was as impressive a victory as any this week, adding another outstanding miler and potential 10-furlong horse to a division that already includes Baaeed and Coroebus. And it was particularly satisfying for Inspiral’s connections, who had steered her around the 1,000 Guineas in England, Ireland and France as they felt she simply was not ready to reproduce her dominant juvenile form.

The race did not go entirely to plan. “When she fell out of the stalls,” Dettori said, “I thought, ‘oh no, here we go again, it’s one of those races’.” But when he needed a gap, he found one and Inspiral grabbed it with an electrifying burst that had the race won in a matter of strides.

“I took my time, I took a chance on the inside and I got the splits,” Dettori said. “Wow! What an engine.

“You need a good horse to do that and she really took off, to the point that I was able to enjoy the last 50 yards for once.”

Thursday night, he conceded, had been difficult, having been beaten into second place on two horses owned by the Queen and finishing third on the hugely popular Stradivarius as he attempted to win a record-equalling fourth Gold Cup.

“I had a banging headache last night,” he said. “You’ve got to put it behind you. I must say the first hour of this morning was difficult. I was still thinking about it, but then I studied the