Frankie Dettori will ride Hazapour in Investec Derby

Hazapour is a general 14-1 shot for racing’s ‘Blue Riband’ won by Dermot Weld in 2016

Frankie Dettori is twice a Derby winner on board Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn in 2015. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Frankie Dettori is twice a Derby winner on board Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn in 2015. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Frankie Dettori will ride Hazapour for Dermot Weld and the Aga Khan in Saturday week's Investec Derby.

The Italian star - twice a Derby winner on board Authorized in 2007 and Golden Horn in 2015 - has been engaged by Weld for the Shamardal colt who burst into the Derby reckoning by winning the Derrinstown Trial at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Hazapour is a general 14-1 shot for racing’s ‘Blue Riband’ which was won by Weld in 2016 with Harzand, a close relation of the Curragh trainer’s latest Derby contender.

“We’re very pleased with him and he worked well yesterday morning. All going well he will take his chance at Epsom and Frankie Dettori will ride,” Weld said on Wednesday.

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Weld's retained jockey Pat Smullen is currently fighting illness and Hazapour was ridden by Declan McDonogh in the Derrinstown.

However the Hazapour team has moved to engage the services of Dettori whose main employer, John Gosden, runs Roaring Lion in the Derby. He will be ridden by Qatar Racing's retained jockey Oisin Murphy.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column