Dettori the Gold Cup hero aboard Courage Mon Ami Frankie Dettori recorded a fairytale victory on his final Gold Cup ride, with the aptly-named Courage Mon Ami showing plenty of grit to down Coltrane in a titanic battle through the final furlong of the Royal Ascot showpiece. It was a ninth Gold Cup for the Italian, who will hang up his boots at the end of the year. Courage Mon Ami was having only his fourth lifetime start, having won his three previous races for John and Thady Gosden. Stepping up in trip, the 15-2 chance was settled near the back of the pack as Subjectivist, the winner two years ago, made most of the running. But Dettori took a risk and waited on the rail before sweeping through beaten horses and switching outside Coltrane’s withers. The four-year-old son of Frankel kept finding to beat the 11-4 favourite, who was ridden by Oisin Murphy. Subjectivist stuck on well to finish a gallant third. “Unbelievable! I thought it was a bridge too far from handicaps, but I had the perfect race,” said a jubilant Dettori, who returned to a tremendous reception and even gave the Queen a kiss at the presentation ceremony. “He’s still a baby, but when Coltrane came back he picked up again. I can’t hear myself talking!”
