Frankie who? Dettori feels liberated by anonymity after moving to California to extend his career as the 52-year-old sets his sights on Breeders Cup glory

Frankie Dettori says he feels reinvigorated after starting a new life in America and feels his decision was vindicated by a bar-room incident last week.

The Italian shelved his decision to retire last month, having made up his mind to carry on in August.

The pressure of living with a secret, he explained, had left him restless.

Dettori, who gave his main Breeders Cup hope Inspiral a gallop around the Santa Anita track on Tuesday morning, flew out to California last week and has been house-hunting with his wife, Catherine.

He has also been getting to know the local area and when he went out after racing on Saturday, the 52-year-old found it liberating to not be mobbed at the bar.

Frankie Dettori flew out last week and has been house-hunting in California

‘I’ve been making connections with all sorts of trainers,’ said Dettori. ‘It is amazing, really. I went out to a restaurant with Catherine; I went to get a drink at the bar and I found myself looking around in case people were looking at me but nobody was bothered.

‘I started talking to a random person at the bar and they didn’t have a clue who I was! It’s brilliant. There is a weight off my shoulders. I feel good, relaxed. The lifestyle suits me.

‘It ticks all the boxes in the twilight of my career.’

Aside from John Gosden’s brilliant filly Inspiral, Dettori will also ride King Of Steel in the Breeders Cup Turf — the colt who gave him such a remarkable final ride at Ascot in the Champion Stakes.

The colt, trained by Roger Varian, had a ferocious race 10 days ago and this target wasn’t originally on the cards but owners Amo Racing were ambitious to have a runner on the biggest stage.

‘I’m not confident — he had to fight hard and he had a tough race,’ said Dettori. ‘I’m sure Roger wouldn’t have brought him here if he didn’t think he had recovered.’