Frankie Dettori hospitalized after Newmarket car crash, suffers broken ribs

Frankie Dettori’s planned ride at Doncaster is now in doubt after a car crash near Newmarket left him with broken ribs, a broken thumb and a hospital stay for further scans. The accident happened around 7 p.m. Wednesday on the A1304 near Six Mile Bottom, when the car he was driving was struck on the rear passenger side, spun and flipped.

Dettori later said he was “very sore,” and he remained in hospital for observation while doctors assessed the full extent of the damage. H Talent Management thanked the emergency services and the medical staff caring for him and asked for privacy as he rests and recovers.

The injury has immediate racing consequences because Dettori had already been announced for the Leger Legends race at Doncaster on Friday, September 11, 2026. The mile classified stakes for former professional jockeys has been moved to the ITV-televised Friday of the St Leger Festival, and it was set to be Dettori’s first ride in Britain since 2023. With broken ribs and a broken thumb, that return is suddenly far from straightforward.

Broken ribs typically need several weeks to mend, often around six weeks or more depending on the severity and whether there are complications. A fractured thumb can also keep a jockey out for weeks, since riding demands full strength through the hands, wrists and upper body, along with the ability to brace hard in the saddle. Even with more than two months between the crash and the Doncaster date, the combination of rib pain, hand function and race-riding fitness makes a quick comeback uncertain.

The timing matters because Dettori has not disappeared from the sport since retiring from race-riding in February after final rides in Brazil. He was named global brand ambassador for Amo Racing, keeping him visible in the public eye even after the end of his full-time riding career. That makes any health setback more than a personal issue: it touches a racing calendar that still uses his name to drive interest in major meetings and charity races.

Dettori’s record remains one of the most recognisable in modern racing, with six Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe wins and two Derbies among the headline achievements that made him a global figure. For now, the immediate focus is on recovery in hospital, while Doncaster and the rest of his late-season plans wait on how quickly the fractures heal.