Frankie Dettori is hopeful Mostahdaf can add a historic sixth victory for the jockey in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday 23 August.
The Juddmonte International Stakes has been a successful race for Frankie Dettori in the past and another triumph would put him ahead of Lester Piggott as leading jockey in the contest. He recorded a fifth win in the race with Authorized in 2007.
It is a rare ride for Dettori in the Shadwell silks, as the Italian takes over from the suspended Jim Crowley, who has ridden Mostahdaf in twelve of his fifteen racecourse starts. The five-year-old was an easy victor of the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, overturning Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg and 2021 Derby hero Adayar.
In an interview on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, the Italian jockey expressed his delight with the son of Frankel: "I rode him the other morning and he is a beautiful specimen of a horse. He's strong and has got a lovely stride.
"He doesn't overdo himself in the mornings, but we know exactly what he can do and I'm excited. What he did in the Prince of Wales's, I was pretty taken, so he's going to be there with every chance."
Paddington is the current favourite for the York highlight at 5/4 with Mostahdaf available at 7/2.
Dettori is fully aware of the task ahead of him – he chased Paddington home aboard Chaldean in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and watched from the sidelines as regular ride Emily Upjohn was beaten in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park.
"He's a good horse," Dettori added.
"The Sussex was a non-event, but Paddington is still good – he put Chaldean to bed in the St James's Palace, when I was second, in good style and he beat Emily [Upjohn], so he is the best three-year-old around at the moment.
"But I think this is his test now, he's taking on a four-length winner of the Prince of Wales's. It's going to be a different race to what he's faced [before], but I have no doubt he is a good horse because it looks like he only does what he has to do, and he looks like he's still got something in the locker.
"We will give him a race and see what happens."
