Brilliant Board Helps Dettori Bag Double

Ouija Board's emotional success in the Filly & Mare Turf provided the highlight of a memorable double for Frankie Dettori at the Breeders' Cup meeting.

Dettori, who also struck aboard Red Rocks in the Turf, was quick to hail Ed Dunlop's charge as 'one of the best I've ridden' after she regained her crown in style at Churchill Downs.

The five-year-old claimed the Grade One prize at Lone Star Park in 2004 but she was narrowly denied back-to-back successes by Intercontinental at Belmont Park last term.

However, Ouija Board arrived in Kentucky in top form and she delivered yet another dominant performance to see off her nine rivals.

A slow early pace was set by Dancing Edie while Frankie Dettori was content to bide his time on Ouija Board in sixth place.

Dettori waited until just before the home turn to begin his move and he was soon in a challenging position aboard the 6-4 favourite.

Once Ouija Board took up the running at the furlong pole, she quickly stamped her authority on the contest powering away from runner-up Film Maker to win by two and a half lengths with Honey Ryder in third.

Dettori said: 'It was an emotional and awesome display. It was hard to tell Ed before the race that she was giving me the best feel she has ever done and all I had to was to make sure I didn't make a mistake.

'I got there too soon but she just wanted to go.

'Coming to the race she felt unbelievably well. Our main concern was perhaps the rain on Wednesday but apart from that we just wanted a clear trip around the track and we knew we had the best filly in the race.

'She showed the world that's why she's the queen of horse racing with a spectacular performance.

'She has been a wonderful mare, giving tremendous joy to racing fans and I rate her alongside the very best horses I have ridden.'

Dunlop added: 'It was a great feeling and a magnificent achievement to win two Breeders' Cups and finish second in another which has never been done before.

'The story goes on and she's earned an honourable retirement.

'Although they went slowly early on I wasn't particularly worried because I knew I had her in the best shape of her life.

'She won as well today as she did there (Lone Star Park). Frankie had a fantastic ride. There weren't too many concerns in the race.

'As long as she's okay, we plan to go to New York and she'll fly from there to Japan for the Japan Cup. It depends on how she comes out of this race. I'll check her tonight and tomorrow.

'After the Japan Cup, she'll be retired and will return to Kentucky for a date with Kingmambo.'

Dettori became the first European jockey to ride a double on Breeders' Cup night as Red Rocks produced a career-best performance in the Turf.

Brian Meehan's three-year-old had previously finished third behind Sixties Icon in the St Leger but he stepped up on that form as he dropped back to 12 furlongs.

Icy Atlantic set a fast pace with Rush Bay and Scorpion not far behind as Dettori settled towards the rear of the field on the Galileo colt

Hurricane Run was on the heels of the leaders half a mile from home but he quickly faded out of contention just as Red Rocks began to unleash his challenge.

Leading just inside the final furlong, Red Rocks (8-1) held the late surge of strong finisher Better Talk Now by half a length with English Channel in third.

Dettori said: 'To win one is a miracle and two goes beyond that. I knew Ouija Board was best chance and I knew Red Rocks was going to run big but I didn't think I'd be this lucky.

'It feels surreal right now but I'm sure when I wake up tomorrow that I'll realise it's a special day.'

Of Red Rocks, he added: 'I've ridden him a few times and I've messed him up a few times. He seems to idle sometimes up front.

'Never in my wildest dreams did I expect a furious pace like today. I looked up and I said ?there's no way they can keep this up'.

'At the mile pole, I knew they'd fall in my lap. I took him wide outside and it was a matter of picking horses off one-by-one. The rest is history.'

Meehan said: 'It's a culmination of everyone's effort through the year coming to fruition and it's a marvellous feeling of achievement.

'We talked about this race after he ran second in the Great Voltigeur and now by winning the Breeders' Cup, he has proved himself to be the best turf horse in the world.

'I thought Frankie Dettori gave him a wonderful ride, giving him all the time he wanted.'

Scorpion eventually faded into fifth and his rider Michael Kinane said: 'He got in a little tight on the inside and without that he might have run a little bit better.

'It was a pretty good performance for just his second start in a year. You could see there was a lot of improvement there.'

Christophe Soumillon felt last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Hurricane Run lacked his sparkle in finishing sixth.

He said: 'He really likes a long stretch and when I asked him to kick it in, he did not really respond as he has in the past.'

(C) PA Sport