RACING ICON FRANKIE DETTORI HOSPITALIZED AFTER NEWMARKET CAR CRASH

Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Legendary former jockey Frankie Dettori has been rushed to the hospital following a serious car accident in Suffolk – with the accident happening at British horse racing HQ – Newmarket.

According to his management team, H Talent Management, the terrifying incident happened on the evening of Wednesday, July 1, in Newmarket.

Another vehicle reportedly struck the rear passenger side of Dettori’s car, causing it to spin out of control and flip over.

Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene, and the 55-year-old was taken straight to the nearby hospital.

Frankie Dettori Suffers Broken Ribs and Thumb In Newmarket Car Crash

Doctors have confirmed that horse racing legend Dettori sustained a few broken ribs and a broken thumb.

He remains hospitalized under close observation while medical staff run further scans to fully assess his injuries.

In an official statement, his agency shared a message from the racing icon:

“Frankie would like to thank the emergency services who attended the scene, together with the doctors, nurses and wider medical team caring for him. His focus is now on resting and recovering. H Talent Management respectfully asks that Frankie’s privacy is respected at this time. No further comment will be made until there is a meaningful update.”

This frightening setback comes just a few months after Dettori officially hung up his saddle in February, following a high-profile farewell tour through America and Brazil.

His final race in Britain was an unforgettable one-a spectacular victory aboard King Of Steel in the Champion Stakes at Ascot three years ago.

While Frankie had been enjoying his hard-earned retirement, he was already locked in for a highly anticipated comeback this autumn, signing up for the charity Legends race at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting in September.

Given the nature of his injuries, however, those plans are now up in the air as his recovery takes absolute priority. With the race on Friday September 11, 2026.

Frankie Dettori Pulled Out Of Plane Crash in Newmarket in 2000

The recent Frankie Dettori car crash in Newmarket, isn’t the first time the former champion jockey has had a serious accident at British horse racing’s HQ.

On 1 June 2000, Frankie Dettori survived one of the most harrowing incidents in British racing history when a light aircraft carrying him, fellow jockey Ray Cochrane and pilot Patrick Mackey crashed moments after taking off from Newmarket Racecourse.

The trio had been travelling to Goodwood for an afternoon of racing when the Piper Seneca failed to gain sufficient height, struck an embankment known as the Devil’s Dyke and burst into flames.

Patrick Mackey Killed In Tragic Frankie Dettori Plane Crash

Pilot Patrick Mackey was tragically killed in the accident, while Dettori and Cochrane escaped from the wreckage in what police described as a “miracle.”

Dettori suffered a broken right ankle, facial cuts and other injuries that ruled him out of racing for several months, while Cochrane sustained burns and bruising.

In the moments after the crash, Cochrane managed to pull Dettori from the wreckage before bravely attempting to rescue Mackey, but the intense flames made it impossible to reach the pilot. Cochrane’s actions later earned him the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery in recognition of his efforts to save his fellow jockey.

The accident had a profound effect on Dettori, who has spoken openly in the years since about believing he was about to die as the aircraft came down.

The experience changed his outlook on both racing and life, with the Italian admitting he became more focused on spending time with his family and appreciating every opportunity he had in the saddle.

Despite the traumatic ordeal, he returned later that season and went on to enjoy many of the greatest successes of his career, including further Classic victories, multiple Royal Ascot triumphs and becoming one of the sport’s most celebrated jockeys.

An investigation by the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch was unable to determine a single definitive cause of the crash, although it concluded the aircraft failed to climb properly after take-off and struck the embankment before crashing.

More than two decades later, the Newmarket plane crash remains one of the defining moments of Dettori’s life and career, serving as a stark reminder of how close horse racing came to losing one of its greatest stars.

- Andy Newton

GRAND NATIONAL HORSE CELEBRE D'ALLEN DIES AFTRE COLLAPSING AT AINTREE

Jockey Micheal Nolan has been suspended after continuing to ride the horse when he had 'no more to give'

Celebre D’Allen was pulled up just before the end of the Grand National (Photo: Martin Rickett/PA)

Grand National horse Celebre D’Allen has died three days after collapsing during Saturday’s race.

The 13-year-old outsider collapsed in the aftermath of the race but had been “going the right way” during recovery on Monday after being pulled up just before the end of the four-mile showpiece event.

However, trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White on Tuesday confirmed the horse had passed away, leaving them “heartbroken”.

“He received the very best treatment by the veterinary teams and was improving,” a statement from the pair said.

“However, he deteriorated significantly last night and could not be saved. He was a wonderful horse, and we will all miss him greatly.”

A stewards’ enquiry after the race handed jockey Micheal Nolan a 10-day suspension for continuing to ride the horse after jumping the penultimate fence “when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground”.

Celebre D’Allen is the 17th horse to have died during or in the aftermath of the Grand National since 2000.

Ben Newman, spokesperson for the animal activist movement Animal Rising, said: “Celebre D’Allen, like every other victim of the Grand National, deserved a long and peaceful life. Instead, he was raced to death by an industry driven by greed and profit.

“The blame for his death lies not with any individual but with the ‘sport’ of horse racing itself. Again and again, we see horses pushed far beyond their limits to the point of injury, collapse, and death.

“Animal lovers across the UK are united in calling for an end to this rotten, archaic sport. The verdict is clear: horse racing is long past its sell-by date.”

Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the British Horse Racing Authority, said the organisation was saddened to learn of the horse’s death.

“As with all runners in the Grand National, Celebre d’Allen was provided with a thorough check by vets at the racecourse,” Dunshea said.

“This health check includes a trot up, physical examination of limbs to check for any heat, pain or swelling, and listening to the heart to check for any murmur or rhythm disturbance.”

He added: “The BHA and Aintree racecourse will analyse the race and this incident in detail, as is the case every year and with every fatal injury in any race. This will include the horse being sent for post-mortem.

“The process of reviewing every fatality allows us to build on our existing data and help us understand how all reasonable avoidable risk can be reduced in order to keep our horses and riders as safe as possible.

“This process previously led to the changes that were made to the Grand National in 2024, including the reduction in the number of runners. Prior to Saturday’s race, there had been no fatal injuries in the previous nine races run over the Grand National course since the 2023 National.

“The steps we have taken to improve safety over the years reflect the great respect we have for our horses and our commitment to their safety.”

- James Gray