Mixed bag for Dettori

Frankie Dettori lost his appeal against a five-day suspension at Portman Square yesterday

Frankie Dettori lost his appeal against a five-day suspension at Portman Square yesterday. The Jockey Club disciplinary committee also retained his £300 deposit. "I had a fair hearing," said a smiling Dettori, "but I lost my case."

However, Dettori delivered an immediate response by riding a near 39 to 1 treble at Sandown later in the day.

He underlined his determination to overcome the handicap of a fiveday ban to his championship challenge with wins on Shaska, Siege Perilous and Azores.

The two-times champion began the day with an appearance before the Jockey Club's Disciplinary Committee in a bid to overturn his suspension at Goodwood for irresponsible riding.

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But his failure only seemed to spur him on as he outscored rival Kieren Fallon to re-establish a lead of one in the title race.

Fallon secured his only victory on Shawm, winner of the IBC Executive Travel Handicap, his first for David Loder.

And the Italian may have more luck on Moon Strike in the Marshall Amplification Stakes at Sandown this afternoon. The Italian rode Paul Howling's sprinter to success in a hot Haydock sprint when the seven-year-old was produced late to get home by a neck from Midnight Escape.

Well suited by a strongly-run contest over the minimum trip, Moon Strike can once again arrive late on the scene to take this trappy handicap over Sandown's stiff five furlongs.

Dragonada will appreciate the drop back to a mile in the Ford 21 Years Celebration Atalanta Stakes following a five-length defeat by Dust Dancer over 10 furlongs at Salisbury last time. The winner has since gone on to land a decent race in France and Dragonada perhaps had more on her plate than first appeared at the Wiltshire track.

Grey Shot can bounce back to winning form in the Chester Rated Stakes at the Roodeye. Without a win since last year's Goodwood Cup, Ian Balding's game front-runner has been below par on his last two starts, in the Gold Cup and when bidding for a repeat win in the Goodwood Cup.