Royal Ascot 2012: Frankie Dettori Proves He's Weekend's Best Jockey

Frankie Dettori again left no doubt that he was the best jockey in the world.

The 41-year-old Italian is considered by many to be the best jockey who ever lived, but up-and-comer Mickael Barzalona was looking to knock off Dettori in front of Her Majesty at Ascot Racecourse. 

Dettori has had a long and illustrious career, including his 1996 Ascot performance, in which he won all seven races. He is a legend of the sport, and he does not appear ready to relinquish his dominance.

Barzalona is 20-year-old Frenchman who is a rapidly rising star in European horse racing. In March of this year, he joined Godolphin Racing as a full-time member of their stable of jockeys. This is when the comparisons to Dettori really started to heat up.

Dettori is Godolphin’s star. Both riders are remarkably talented, but Barzalona still has a lot to learn.

In the Gold Cup on June 22, Dettori and Barzalona went up against each other. Dettori rode Colour Vision, and Barzalona was on top of Opinion Poll, both thoroughbreds from Godolphin’s stables.

Coming down the stretch, Colour Vision bumped Opinion Poll, momentarily knocking Barzalona off-kilter, and Dettori’ horse galloped to victory. 

Dettori disregards any notion of a rivalry, telling Chris McGrath of The Independent, “Me and Mickael are great friends. But you're by yourself when you're out there, and you want to win for yourself."

The Italian is too seasoned to stir up any controversy, but his performance is an excellent indicator of how he views the situation.

The symbolism of that bump cannot be ignored, and Barzalona now knows better than ever that Dettori is still standing in his way. 

The young Frenchman may very well become one of the world’s best riders one day. But for now, he should just try and learn all he can from the living legend who is still proving with every race that he is the best jockey in the world.