Bolton boss Ian Evatt felt his side should have been returning from Burton with a three-point haul rather than just one despite their slow start to the match and falling a goal behind.
Wanderers, looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 4-0 home mauling by Wigan, trailed to Mark Helm’s goal just after the break but drew level before the hour through Dion Charles.
However, Bolton could not go on to find a winner – and a first-ever victory at the home of the Brewers – as the match finished 1-1, much to Evatt’s frustration.
“It’s a game we should have won,” he said.
“First half we didn’t start great and for the first 20 minutes they put us under pressure, and we didn’t make the right decisions, which is understandable after last week, which really rocked us.”
Helm caught Bolton cold with Albion’s goal less than a minute into the second half which also irked the Bolton boss.
“We didn’t start the second half well either, making a critical error in the first minute,” Evatt said.
“To be fair, after that we rallied and took over the game, but we have missed some critical chances that should have put the game to bed.
“I think we can do better. We know we can do better. It would have been easy going behind again to feel sorry for ourselves and the only real frustration is that we should have gone on to win.”
Burton boss Dino Maamria was pleased with his team’s performance, but the former striker was also frustrated by their failure to kill off the game when Albion were on top.
“The performance is there to see. An excellent performance. I might have to put my boots on because we do everything apart from that last seven or eight yards,” he said.
Bobby Kamwa, making his first league start of the season, was guilty of an early miss having rounded Bolton keeper Nathan Baxter and hitting the post, a chance that would have capped a dominant opening to the game for Albion.
“A game like today should have been done and dusted in the first half but we just lack that quality in those final yards to score goals but everything else was excellent,” Maamria said.
“We played in their half and pressed them really well but couldn’t get the goal we deserved.”
He added: “Second half we got the goal and needed to kick on but the disappointment is that we conceded from a second ball from a long ball and it’s preventable.
“Is it a fair result?. I think if we had the killer instinct in those final 10 yards, we would have won the game.
“Their keeper denied Deji (Oshilaja) with his trailing leg at point-blank range and any other day that goes in, and we win the game. It wasn’t meant to be.”
Wigan boss Shaun Maloney was reluctant to criticise his team or the match officials after a 2-0 defeat to Barnsley with 10 men.
The visitors started brightly and took advantage of Charlie Hughes’ 21st-minute red card, with Devante Cole firing his side in front five minutes later.
Wigan showed plenty of heart in the second half but Barnsley substitute John McAtee made the game safe in added time.
Maloney said of the red card: “It’s a difficult decision. I’ve seen one angle of it and I can’t decide whether he’s got the ball or the player, so it looked a little bit 50-50.
“I don’t want to complain too much about decisions, sometimes they go for you and this instance it’s gone against us. It had a big impact in terms of how the game went, but that’s football and sometimes these things go against you.
“The flow of the game changed immediately after the red card. I’m not overly positive generally after defeats, but for half an hour or so in the second half we had to play under big pressure.
“I let them know that I didn’t care if there was a mistake, we had to play under pressure to get back into it and for 30 minutes I think we did that.
“I can’t be critical of the second goal, we went all out to try and get a goal and physically the team was spent. The last five or six minutes were open and I can’t be critical.
“It’s a sore one and you don’t like to lose, but we’ll get back to work on Monday.”
Barnsley manager Neill Collins admitted his “relief” as his side got back to winning ways.
The Tykes had not tasted victory since dismantling Port Vale 7-0 on the opening day of the season and they faced a tough task at the DW Stadium – against a side who would have started the day top were it not for an eight-point deduction for financial reasons.
Collins said: “It’s always a relief to win when you’re coming on the back of a couple of defeats.
“The first day was just an excellent day all round, to get the three points was important but to win the way we did meant it was made a bit more of a deal than it was.
“I thought the cup game afterwards (against Tranmere) was positive from the perspective that we had a really young team and they played really well.
“Then at Bristol (Rovers) we got a point without playing great, before two home games against two really tough teams (Peterborough and Oxford).
“People ask questions after defeats but we knew the reasons why they happened and how we needed to improve.
“To come here and get a result considering where we’re at is really pleasing.”
Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell hailed the resilience of his squad after they battled back from a goal behind to defeat Kilmarnock 2-1 in the cinch Premiership.
Marley Watkins broke the deadlock after 12 minutes and Killie could and should have added to their advantage in the first half.
Kettlewell’s side were much improved after the break, however, and Dan Casey levelled matters before Harry Paton netted in the seventh minute of stoppage time to take the Steelmen joint top of the table.
The Motherwell boss has faced an injury crisis at the club in recent weeks, with Conor Wilkinson the latest to face a spell on the sidelines.
Despite that, the Steelmen demonstrated all their fighting qualities after the break to claim an outstanding victory.
“We’re delighted. I think you are delighted with three points at any stage in this league, but especially after the first 45 minutes where I just didn’t feel we were at the races,” Kettlewell said.
“We had a few tweaks and changes to our set-up because of the tough week that we’ve had – we’ve had a really difficult spell trying to make sure we can put a team on the park.
“That’s why people pay their money, they want to see their team score a last-minute winner.
“Without getting too nostalgic about it, I think your team should be an identification as to what you are as a person.
“I always demand resilience and good reaction from us. Even if one or two were in the dressing room at half-time feeling a bit sorry for themselves with what we said or the changes we made – it is always with the right intention.”
Kettlewell also confirmed that defender Ricki Lamie is set to depart the club, with a move to Dundee on the horizon.
Lamie has yet to feature for Motherwell in the Premiership this season.
“There looks like a situation where Ricki could be on the move and, again, if I was sitting as a selfish guy I’d be saying I want to keep as many senior players as I can,” Kettlewell said.
“You can see we’ve got six teenagers in our squad today, two starting and four on the bench. I need as many senior players as I can get.
“Though to alter and readdress the balance, it’s a situation that probably will happen and whether that’s the opportunity to free up some up funds for us to see if we can bring in another attack-minded player.
“That’s certainly something we are looking at. There’s nothing concrete in terms of an incoming but it’s looking likely there will be an outgoing.”
Derek McInnes was left frustrated as his Kilmarnock side fell to defeat from a commanding position.
Killie suffered their first loss of the new campaign after conceding with the final kick of the ball at Fir Park and McInnes is keen to ensure that his players bounce back quickly
“It’s a really disappointing end up for us. It’s important when you can’t win a game that you make sure you don’t lose it,” he said.
“There’s a lot of optimism, the way the players have been of late and the results recently. I think you see we bounced into Fir Park today ready to take them on.
“It’s not going to affect what we do this season. I’m pretty sure this is a different looking Kilmarnock, it’s important we remember that. We take the belt and are ready to win a home game next week.
“Hopefully we can come through this first round of games with a lot of positivity.”
Opera Singer looks a filly destined to compete at the highest level after blitzing her rivals in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes at the Curragh.
The winner of a Leopardstown maiden on her second career start last month, the daughter of Justify was then narrowly denied by Paddy Twomey’s unbeaten juvenile A Lilac Rolla in a Curragh conditions race.
Stepping up to Group Three level, Opera Singer was the even-money favourite in the hands of Seamie Heffernan and rocketed six and a half lengths clear of stablemate Brilliant in scintillating style.
“She’s a lovely filly and she’s had a few lovely runs,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien.
“She had a lovely run the first day and then the second day she ran a stormer as well. Ryan (Moore) thought he was going to beat the winner the last day, the line just came a little bit soon but she’s come forward lovely.
“These Justifys improve, the minute they go up in distance they take off.”
When asked if Newmarket’s Fillies’ Mile could be a target, he added: “I’d say she’s that kind of filly, straightforward and goes forward.”
O’Brien and Heffernan completed a Group Three double on the card with the tough-as-teak Red Riding Hood in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes.
After cutting out much of the running, the 14-1 shot looked beaten after being given a reminder early in the straight and then being passed by 9-4 favourite American Sonja – but she battled back bravely against the rail to get back up and secure victory by a neck.
O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong said: “In fairness to Seamus he gave her a powerful ride, she’s not a straightforward filly.
“She has stacks of ability but though probably weakness and immaturity it’s only starting to come to the fore now.
“She’ll probably come back here on Champions Weekend for the Blandford Stakes and see how we go. Hopefully that will be a good confidence-booster for her and it’s onwards and upwards.”
The Twomey-trained Letsbefrankaboutit also justified favouritism in the the Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes.
The Sioux Nation colt was well touted ahead of his introduction over the course and distance a fortnight ago and while he had to make do with minor honours in third, he offered plenty of hope for the future.
He was a 2-1 market leader in this six-furlong Group Three and proved half a length too strong for Mansa Musa, with Billy Lee the winning pilot.
“He learned a lot the last day when he had to race on his own, he won his race,” said Twomey.
“He was a bit babyish before the race the last day but he was very good today, didn’t put a foot wrong, and did what I hoped he’d do.
“It takes a lot for me to run a maiden in a Group Three but I just thought he might be fit for it.
“He’s entered in everything and we’ll see how he is, I think he’ll be a nice horse in time.”
Head coach Enzo Maresca believes Kasey McAteer could become a key player for Leicester as his brace secured a 2-1 victory at Rotherham.
McAteer netted either side of a leveller from Fred Onyedinma to maintain the Foxes’ 100 per cent record this campaign and leave them out in front at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.
The 21-year-old homegrown talent is establishing himself in the Italian’s side after enjoying loan spells at Forest Green and AFC Wimbledon in the past.
Maresca said: “I was very happy with him, for the two goals but also the way he works off the ball. He helps a lot.
“He is working the right way and he helps us out. I’m happy for him and the academy.
“I really like him, not just because he scored. I like the way he works and he sacrifices. He helps a lot without the ball. He is an important player.
“It was a very good performance. They score many goals from set-pieces, the delivery from Cafu is unbelievable. I think we were very good defensively. We fought in the right way.”
Rotherham thought they had gone ahead when Jordan Hugill touched in Cafu’s corner but referee Simon Hooper ruled the goal out after a long consultation with his assistant.
Leicester did take the lead after 12 minutes through McAteer, who was perfectly positioned to guide in Kelechi Iheanacho’s back-post cross.
Onyedinma levelled for Rotherham early in the second period as he managed to get enough of a touch on Andre Green’s cross to beat Hermansen.
Leicester snatched the three points clinically with seven minutes left to play when McAteer bent home after being found by Callum Doyle’s diagonal pass.
Rotherham manager Matt Taylor said: “We’re in a little bit of pain right now. Bar the first 45 minutes at Stoke we have competed and showed signs of being a really good team, but not picked up the points we deserved.
“We more than matched one of the best teams in the league. They just had a little bit more on the pitch and the bench.
“People spoke about what it was in terms of the levels of the opposition but it’s irrelevant – we have to be where we need to be and that is a front foot team.
“The players put everything into it, I just wish I could help them a little bit more.”
Taylor also explained the disallowed goal.
“I spoke to the officials and it was disallowed for two reasons. A foul on the goalkeeper and offside. Both were marginal,” added Taylor. “If that is a foul then a lot is going to get given from set-pieces.
“What happened in that moment does not excuse the lack of concentration for their goal.
“It was a well-worked goal from their point of view but poor from ourselves. The second goal was a mirror image. We just switched off.
“Little moments have let us down and gone against us.”
Max Verstappen has revealed Sebastian Vettel told him he will break his record of nine consecutive victories after the home favourite put his Red Bull on pole position for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.
The unstoppable Verstappen will equal four-time world champion Vettel’s streak from 2013 if he takes the chequered flag in front of 105,000 expectant fans.
Verstappen starts his quest from the front after he topped a chaotic wet-dry qualifying session in Zandvoort. Verstappen finished nearly six tenths clear of second-placed Lando Norris with a mighty final lap.
George Russell qualified third for Mercedes, one place ahead of Alex Albon – the London-born driver continuing his impressive campaign with Williams. Lewis Hamilton lines up only 13th after he was surprisingly eliminated in Q2.
Verstappen dominated the opening half of the season, taking 10 victories from the 12 rounds so far, and he has emerged from the sport’s summer break still as the man to beat.
He last failed to win in Azerbaijan on April 30, and it will be a major surprise if his crushing run comes to a halt in front of his orange-clad army.
“After five wins in a row, Seb texted me to say, ‘well done with what you are doing at the moment, keep it up, you are going to get the record’,” said Verstappen following his eighth pole of the campaign.
“I was like, ‘that’s nine wins in a row, and that is something very impressive’. I never thought I would be able to get to eight. If it is possible tomorrow of course I go for it.
“But it is not something that is in the back of my head. I am not in this sport to try and break records. I am just here to win in the moment.”
Verstappen is in a league of his own as he closes in on a hat-trick of titles.
But it has been suggested that his reign – akin to Michael Schumacher’s emphatic dominance for Ferrari at the turn of the century – has been a turn-off for the sport’s booming fanbase.
“It is clear that unpredictability is what makes the sport exciting,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
“You want to look at the television on Sunday and see a fight. That is not the case at the moment.
“But that is because one team and one driver are doing a much better job than anybody else, and we need to acknowledge that.”
While Verstappen has been aided by his all-conquering Red Bull machine, it is worth noting that his team-mate Sergio Perez – the only other driver to win a race this year – qualified seventh here, 1.3 seconds behind in the same car.
Qualifying started on a wet track before a dry line emerged for Q3. Two red flags followed as Logan Sargeant and Charles Leclerc crashed out.
By this stage, Hamilton was back in the Mercedes garage. The seven-time world champion appeared to be impeded by AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and he failed to post a time fast enough to progress to Q3.
The incident was noted by the stewards, but Hamilton did not feel he lost time. However, Wolff added: “Tsunoda is a nice guy but he clearly impeded Lewis.
“The answer is to penalise. If you know you don’t go to prison for cheating tax, you cheat the tax. I don’t understand why these things are not penalised.
“You could say Lewis dived on the inside and it didn’t cost him much. But going from a dry line, to a wet line, and back to a dry line costs time and a tenth of a second would have put him into Q3.
“We need to be harsh on penalties and then people will start looking in their mirrors.”
Freddie Steward: Looked tired as the only player to start all four warm-up Tests but was replaced by Marcus Smith, who provided more threat. 4/10
Max Malins: Almost over in the first-half only to be denied by a double tackle. The game passed him by even as England fought back. 4
Ollie Lawrence: One of his quieter games in a red rose jersey, getting involved early on but then fading into the background. 4
Manu Tuilagi: Carried hard and was England’s most effective player in attack – one of the few bright sparks on a gloomy afternoon. 6
Jonny May: Showed class is permanent when he touched down early on but was at fault defensively for Waisea Nayacalevu’s try. 5
George Ford: Directed England superbly during their impressive start, fizzing passes and sending players through gaps, but then the collapse happened. 5
Alex Mitchell: Added energy and tempo right from the start and on current form is England’s most effective scrum-half who should start against Argentina. 6
Ellis Genge: A thumping tackle aside, this was not vintage Genge, who has struggled to find his usual barnstorming form during these warm-up games. 5
Theo Dan: Full debut will be one to forget for the dynamic young Saracens hooker who has a bright future. This World Cup has come too soon, however. 4
Dan Cole: Kyle Sinkler’s injury may mean a bigger role for Cole but the veteran tighthead did little against Fiji to suggest he is ready to step-up. 4
Maro Itoje: Appeared to be back to his best as England bristled with intent early on, but the home pack were ultimately outmuscled. 4
Ollie Chessum: Needs minutes in his legs after coming back from an ankle injury but has timed his return with a dismal period in England’s rugby history. 4
Courtney Lawes: A magnificent servant to the red rose but his 100th cap will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. 5
Jack Willis: Influential at the breakdown early on but otherwise his first appearance of the campaign was not one to remember. 5
Ben Earl: A lapse in concentration at the breakdown allowed Vinaya Habosi to plunder an opportunist try that swept Fiji further ahead. 5
Replacements – Danny Care will rue the dropped restart that led to Fiji’s decisive try. Joe Marchant added a cutting edge and Marcus Smith is demanding more time at full-back. 5
Andrea Atzeni enjoyed the perfect send-off ahead of his imminent move to Hong Kong as he steered Lezoo to Listed success in the JenningsBet Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket.
The Classic-winning rider is signing off after a 16-year stint in the UK, having decided to switch to the Far East for an initial six-month period.
Ahead of the new season at Sha Tin kicking off on September 10, Atzeni made one final visit to the July Course for four rides, the last of which was Lezoo in the feature event of the afternoon.
Last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes heroine was the 7-4 favourite to complete an across-the-card treble on the day for trainer Ralph Beckett and part-owner Marc Chan following the earlier victories of Angel Bleu in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood and Kinross in the City of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.
Dropping in class after being well held in the 1000 Guineas and the Commonwealth Cup earlier this season, Lezoo showed her ability to beat the 2021 Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana by a neck.
Atzeni, who flies to Hong Kong on Sunday, said: “I half expected it (the win) and that’s why I’m not surprised, but when I picked up the ride on this filly I said to my agent ‘I’m happy to leave after that as otherwise I’m only going to get upset so I might as well leave on a high’.
“It is a big move, and it is hitting me more now, not so much in a shock way as I’m really excited and looking forward to it.
“It is a contract for six months, but it could be for six years.”
Of Lezoo, he added: “I thought she had a very good chance. She is obviously getting a bit of weight off the older horses. It looked like the perfect race on perfect ground.
“That big heavy shower we had made the ground very loose, which she probably didn’t appreciate as much as she would quick ground as she was wheel-spinning a little bit.
“She got the job done and it was great to get her head in front again.”
Tom Ward will step Woodhay Wonder back up in grade following her 14-1 success in the £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes under PJ McDonald.
Third in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes over the course and distance on her latest outing, the daughter of Tamayuz went a couple of places better with a half-length verdict over Geologist.
Ward said: “She was still quite green in that race (Duchess of Cambridge Stakes) and the small field didn’t quite suit her. Today has helped with the big field and with there being plenty of pace.
“She has always shown a lot at home, but she has never really been in a position where she has had a truly-run race and today was the first time you got a chance to see what she is really all about.
“She has got Group Two black type and I’m hoping she will win a Listed or a Group Three at some stage.
“The Dick Poole at Salisbury in two weeks, if it doesn’t come too soon, we could look at, but there are plenty of races at the end of the season for her.”
Inquisitively struck on her his first start for Kevin Philippart de Foy when taking the Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York.
The two-year-old was previously trained by Ollie Sangster but changed hands earlier in the term after a promising third-placed finish behind leading juvenile sprinter Big Evs in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.
Now running in the silks of Wee Sean Gan, the bay started at 6-1 for the Listed event but blazed to a comprehensive victory under William Buick as he came home two lengths ahead of 9-4 favourite Purosangue.
Hong Kong is the base of the horse’s new owners and he looks set to head there at the conclusion of his two-year-old campaign, but there will be more racing in the west before he makes that move.
“I am delighted with him, he showed good form at Ascot in the Windsor Castle,” Philippart de Foy said.
“He has got loads of speed and on quick ground I thought if he got the rail he’d be very difficult to pass.
“He’s a talented horse and I’m thrilled with him.
“His owners are based in Hong Kong so it is likely he will go there for his three-year-old career, but before then he could go to Doncaster, France and maybe even America.”
Paddington is set to head straight to Qipco Champions Day after suffering his first defeat of the season at York on Wednesday.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt has enjoyed a fantastic campaign, winning his first six starts including Group One victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes.
He was a warm order to secure a fifth top-level win in the space of three months in the Juddmonte International, but was beaten into third place by Mostahdaf, after which his trainer blamed himself for going to the well once too often.
Speaking at the Curragh on Saturday, O’Brien reported his star three-year-old to be none the worse and he will now enjoy some well deserved downtime before being prepared for the autumn.
“Paddington is good, he’s fine. In all fairness to him he’s answered every call and even at York he answered it,” said the Ballydoyle handler.
“He’ll have a little break now and we might look at going back to Ascot with him. We’ll give him a little chance and he’ll come back like a new horse.
“We’ve fairly put it up to him for a baby three-year-old. Frankie (Dettori, rider of Mostahdaf) knew he was going to get him on his knees because he was after getting beat twice by him by following him.”
Paddington is entered in the Qipco Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on October 21, with O’Brien hinting a return to a mile for the latter contest could be the favoured option.
He added: “Either the Champion or the mile, whatever the lads decide. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the mile as he has loads of speed.
“He gets a mile and a quarter, but it might be just class that makes him get it.
“He could be a miler, only that I’ve been stretching him and he wasn’t getting a choice. At his best he might be a miler, but it will depend on what the lads decide to do.”
England’s dismal build-up to the World Cup reached its lowest ebb as they collapsed to their first defeat to a current tier-two nation by losing 30-22 to Fiji at Twickenham.
Jonny May raced over to seize an early lead but what followed will have shaken head coach Steve Borthwick as England were outplayed by a side they had dispatched in all seven previous meetings.
Waisea Nayacalevu and Vinaya Habosi touched down to propel Fiji in front and, although tries by Marcus Smith and Joe Marchant hinted that a seismic upset might be avoided, the Islanders had other ideas.
The leaky home defence cracked one final time in the 73rd minute, with Simione Kuruvoli delivering the decisive blow to wrap up a historic victory that will create shockwaves ahead of the World Cup.
Wales and Australia will be eyeing their clashes with their Pool D rivals nervously having seen what what unfolded in front of a disappointing crowd of 56,854 at Twickenham.
It was England’s fifth defeat in six matches and was a dismal World Cup send-off that adds to the tension surrounding their pivotal opening game against Argentina on September 9.
No-one will have felt the disappointment more than captain Courtney Lawes, who was making his 100th appearance on a day that is expected to see England drop beneath Fiji in the global rankings.
Steve Borthwick had said the listlessness seen in previous three warm-up matches was a result of being in the midst of a conditioning block and that they would benefit when the load was reduced.
The pressure continues to mount on England head coach Steve Borthwick (David Davies/PA)As they made the brightest start of their four warm-up games, they certainly looked like a side with fresh purpose – Manu Tuilagi making early dents, George Ford fizzing a pass to Ollie Lawrence and May supplying the determined kick-chase that had been missing in Dublin.
May quickly decorated his international comeback with a first try since November 2021 in the left corner after Alex Mitchell and Ford found the veteran Gloucester wing with sharp distribution from a scrum.
It was the first try scored by an England back in 261 minutes and it began to look like Borthwick’s team were emerging from their long spell of underachievement.
But the rest of the first-half belonged to Fiji and once their first attack had unfolded amid a downpour, Caleb Muntz landed a penalty.
The heavy rain had stopped and, while handling was still treacherous, the well-organised Islanders continued to probe for openings that almost produced a dynamic try for Nayacalevu that was ruled out for a marginal forward pass.
Under-pressure England wrestled back the ball and were only denied in the right corner by a try-saving tackle on Max Malins that took place in the moments after prop Eroni Mawi committed a yellow card breakdown offence.
With Mawi still in the sin-bin, Fiji ran in their first try with a little help from weak tackles by May and Freddie Steward on Selestino Ravutaumada that enabled Nayacalevu to cross at the end of a slickly-orchestrated attack.
A brief England assault followed but once this subsided they paid the price for Ben Earl switching off around the ruck to allowed Habosi to dart clear and race over the line.
Smith touched down a Ford chip as tension mounted at Twickenham but with Muntz landing another penalty they still trailed, although there was evidence they had found a second wind.
That was confirmed when Joe Marchant capitalised on the space down the right but when Danny Care dropped the restart they were back under the cosh and the ruthless Fijians pounced through Kuruvoli to claim a famous win.
Frankie Dettori’s nationwide last hurrah has at times left one wondering why he is retiring at all, and the veteran rider was probably asking himself the same question after another stellar day on the Knavesmire.
Riding at his final Ebor meeting, the Italian’s logical likely winner was the Ralph Beckett-trained Kinross, a hugely consistent gelding Dettori has previously described as his ‘cash machine’ as he wins valuable prizes with such regularity.
The cash machine was in good working order as Kinross paid out once again in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes, winning by three quarters of a length in front of an appreciative Yorkshire crowd.
The dust had barely settled on that success when Dettori was then given the leg up on Willie Mullins’ Absurde in the meeting’s namesake race, the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap.
The dual-purpose gelding was a 7-1 shot having been trounced by stablemate Vauban at Royal Ascot, though his chances looked to diminish when he was drawn widest of all in stall 24 and they shrunk even more when Dettori was forced to lead the troublesome five-year-old to post.
Mullins certainly seemed to have lowered his expectations and had told Dettori to do as he pleased, and under that freedom he produced a ride not dissimilar to last year’s winning effort aboard Trawlerman.
The duo raced wide in the early stages and avoided the bulk of the field until the turn away from the stalls, travelling along in the slipstream of Real Dream and eventually slotting in among the leading handful.
There they remained until the home straight and when the race switched from the middle side to the stands’ side rail, Dettori gained and regained the lead several times in the final few furlongs as his mount locked horns with Live Your Dream and 5-2 favourite Sweet William.
In the final strides the race took on the film-script quality that has repeatedly appeared throughout Dettori’s final season and an Ebor triumph was added to a 2023 haul that so far includes the 2000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Juddmonte International – a list of prizes any rider at their peak would be proud of.
Dettori revelled in the atmosphere as he collected he trophy, posing for selfies and reflecting on his final Ebor experience.
He said: “This morning I woke up, I felt a little bit sad. I was a bit sentimental, I can’t explain, and I thought ‘god, if I can ride one more winner at the Ebor that would be great,” the jockey said.
“Kinross would be my banker because he doesn’t know how to run a bad race and I was drawn 24 on Willie Mullins’ horse, I thought that was asking the impossible.
“I pulled it off! Full credit to the horse and the trainer. It just worked out, what can I say?”
Though there is sentimentality surrounding Dettori’s route to retirement, he approaches the increase in attention with a degree of humour too, especially regarding Absurde’s obstinacy ahead of the Ebor.
He said: “I didn’t think I would be winning it when I had to lead him to the start. Somebody said ‘get on him’, I said ‘don’t be stupid, I’m knackered!’.
Burton and Bolton had to settle for a point apiece as goals from Mark Helm and Dion Charles cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw at the Pirelli Stadium.
Helm put Burton ahead soon after half-time before Bolton, looking to get back to winning ways after their 4-0 home defeat to Wigan last time out, equalised through Charles just before the hour.
Albion had the clearest opening of the first half when winger Bobby Kamwa took advantage of some poor Bolton defending to run through and round goalkeeper Nathan Baxter only for his effort to hit the post.
Kamwa also fired wide from the edge of the box as Wanderers made a nervy start but the visitors grew into the game and both Randell Williams and Charles forced good saves from Max Crocombe in the Brewers goal.
The second half could not have started any better for Burton with Helm firing home a minute after the break when the Wanderers defence failed to deal with Kamwa’s cross.
However, Bolton were level just before the hour when Charles pounced on indecisive Burton defending on the edge of the box to score.
Crocombe made an outstanding save to deny former Burton striker Victor Adeboyejo as Bolton pushed for all three points but neither side could find a winner in a pulsating encounter.
Summer signing Duane Holmes scored the winner as Preston came from behind to beat Swansea 2-1.
North End, who have now won their last three Championship games having drawn their opener, are enjoying their best start to a campaign for 15 years.
The Swans, meanwhile, are still looking for their first win of the season under new boss Michael Duff.
The visitors started brightly at Deepdale and threatened first when Liam Cullen – in for big-money departure Joel Piroe – lashed in a shot which took a deflection before flying just over the crossbar.
At the other end, Brad Potts dragged a smart pass into the path of Ryan Ledson but he clipped an effort narrowly over the top.
Both sides probed for an opening, with the Swans again going close when Cullen curled inches off target after being neatly teed up by Josh Key.
Preston came back with a great chance of their own as Holmes pulled a terrific pass back for the onrushing Mads Frokjaer, only for the Danish midfielder to scoop a disappointing shot off target from 10 yards.
Andrew Hughes fired wide from distance for Preston, while an unmarked Frokjaer’s effort from the edge of the Swans’ box was woefully high.
The Swans punished wasteful North End with a terrific strike after 33 minutes. Charlie Patino crossed in superbly for the onrushing Harrison Ashby and he buried an angled volley from eight yards.
Preston striker Will Keane almost produced an instant reply, but his snapshot was superbly kept out by keeper Carl Rushworth.
The Swans carved out the first chance of the second period as skipper Matt Grimes found space on the edge of the North End box, eventually firing a foot wide and into the side-netting.
With the visitors taking control as the hour mark approached, they almost bagged a second goal. Key curled in an effort which flicked off defender Jordan Storey before drifting just over the crossbar.
Preston finally gained some rhythm and Frokjaer turned neatly before a crisp 20-yard drive only just cleared the crossbar.
North End then evened it up in the 67th minute when Hughes rose highest to flick home a measured cross from skipper Alan Browne.
Twelve minutes later the tie was turned on its head when Holmes sidefooted home clinically as he charged in to meet Frokjaer’s low cross for what turned out to be the decisive goal.
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