Frankie Dettori says he is 'very sore' after car crash

Frankie Dettori has said he is taking time to recover after suffering broken ribs in a car crash.

The horse racing great posted a photo from his hospital bed alongside his wife Catherine Allen on Thursday as he thanked people for their support, following the crash close to Newmarket on Wednesday evening.

"Thank you, everyone, for your kind messages and support," said the former champion jockey on Instagram.

"A huge thank you as well to the fantastic emergency staff who looked after me," he added. "I'm very sore and have a few broken ribs, so I'll be taking some time to rest and recover."

He signed off the message, "Frankie x".

Dettori's management confirmed earlier that he had been taken to hospital following the crash.

H Talent Management said the Italian jockey's car was hit on the rear passenger side by another vehicle, "causing it to spin and flip".

The crash is thought to have happened near Six Mile Bottom near Cambridgeshire.

In an earlier statement, the company said Dettori had sustained "several broken ribs and a broken thumb".

It added that his injuries were still being assessed and that he remained in hospital for further scans and observation.

The statement said his focus was on "resting and recovering".

It is not the first time Dettori has survived a serious crash.

In 2000 he was injured when a light aircraft carrying him and fellow jockey Ray Cochrane crashed and burst into flames shortly after taking off from Newmarket.

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The pilot was killed, while Dettori suffered a fractured ankle and thumb injury.

Cochrane, who suffered minor burns, helped Dettori escape the wreckage through the plane's luggage compartment.

Dettori is one of the most recognisable figures in horse racing, with a career spanning decades and major victories around the world.

The charismatic jockey has had a stellar career spanning decades, including being crowned champion jockey three times and famously riding seven winners in a day at Ascot in 1996 - the so-called Magnificent Seven.

Dettori has not ridden in the UK for almost three years but was due to return later this year during the St Leger festival.

He's also well known to many outside of the horse racing world through appearances on shows such as I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Question Of Sport.

(c) Sky News 2026: Frankie Dettori says he is 'very sore' after car crash