“I CAME, I saw, I conquered.” This original Latin phrase referring to Julius Caesar’s triumphs could also refer to Frankie Dettori’s experience at Munich last Sunday. He flew in for one ride – André Fabre´s supplemented Elliptique - won the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis, and flew out again.

On paper, Elliptique, a Rothschild family homebred, did not have an outstanding chance. The winner of last year´s Grand Prix de Vichy and most recently the runner-up in La Coupe at Chantilly, his form was not bad, but these were both Group 3 events. In fact this was first attempt at a Group 1.