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IT WAS supposed to be the big send-off for Frankie Dettori, but that now remains in doubt for the Champions Day card at Ascot, as does the set-up of the afternoon; with a doubt about which course and on what going they will do battle on. 

I am a huge fan of Frankie as a jockey and the joy he brings to the everyday fan of this magnificent sport, but the will-he-won’t-he circus and the furore about him getting appearance money to appear at certain race tracks for the final time is irksome.

The former has snowballed into a circus and the latter point leaves a hugely sour taste in the mouth.