Former jockey Frankie Dettori’s bankruptcy will be extended by a year following a court ruling that the automatic discharge of his bankruptcy should not take place. At a specialized hearing, attorneys representing the two trustees of Dettori’s bankruptcy requested the extension of the order for another year.
While bankruptcy orders typically end after a year in England and Wales, they can be prolonged by a judge, keeping the individual under the order’s terms and subject to potential legal action for non-cooperation. Dettori did not attend the hearing nor had legal representation.
Dettori, who recently retired from racing, filed for bankruptcy in March 2025 after facing tax challenges in the United Kingdom, triggered by a dispute with HMRC. The 55-year-old encountered difficulties after hiring tax advisers to manage his and his family’s finances.
In a previous statement, liquidators expressed doubts about Dettori’s ability to settle his substantial tax debt, amounting to £765,542 owed to HMRC and £6,391 to a car leasing company, with additional fees escalating the total debt to nearly £900,000.
During the recent court session in London, Stefan Ramel, representing the trustees, highlighted Dettori’s ongoing non-compliance with requests for asset information, including potential overseas property ownership. Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs ruled to extend the bankruptcy order until March 16, 2027, citing Dettori’s persistent failure to provide requested details.
Judge Briggs emphasized the possibility of criminal repercussions for continued non-cooperation, stating that uncovering further aspects of the bankruptcy might necessitate such actions. Concerns were raised about undisclosed assets, including properties in France and Italy, a Piaget watch, a wine collection valued at around £70,000, and investments totaling approximately £365,000. Despite opportunities to present his case, Dettori did not attend court or engage legal representation.
Dettori, a decorated jockey with multiple British Classic wins and three British championship titles, concluded his racing career last February. Following his retirement announcement in 2023, he briefly continued racing in the United States and South America before his final race. Currently, Dettori serves as an ambassador for the Amo Racing team.