Should Godolphin Racing go ahead with its plan to run Grandera in the Cox Plate in Melbourne on Oct. 26, the same day as the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington, it is likely that jockey Frankie Dettori will also skip the American bonanza.
Dettori has a special relationship with Grandera, the three-time Group I winner in 2002.
"There's a long way to go yet,' Dettori tod The Racing Post, "but right now it looks as if Grandera will run in the Cox Plate and I'm sure Godolphin would want me to go down there, because I get on so well with him."
With Dettori's assistance, Grandera has emerged as Godolphin's most successful older horse of the year. He struck first in Singapore in the spring, took the Prince of Wales' Stakes at Royal Ascot and floored Hawk Wing in last weekend's Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
The wins have propelled Grandera to the top of the World Series points championship, which Godolphin has won in the only two previous years of the series with Daylami and Fantastic Light.
Dettori said: "The Cox Plate is a big, big race, which we have never won, and I don't think Godolphin would want anyone else on Grandera bar me. After all, he's our No. 1 horse."
It would be the first time Dettori has missed the Breeders' Cup since 1990.
Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford was non-committal about arrangements. Crisford added: "It's possible that Frankie will ride in the Cox Plate. Equally, he could be in Chicago for the Breeders' Cup.
"Whatever we decide, it's not a sign that we are downplaying the importance of the Breeders' Cup. Frankie could be at either meeting."
