Bankrupt Frankie Dettori's eye-watering debts as £18m fortune wiped out
The former champion jockey is taking part in this year's Soccer Aid after a difficult few years in his personal life
Soccer Aid is back for its 20th anniversary in 2026, with a host of famous faces once again joining forces with former professional footballers to raise money for UNICEF.
This year will see several celebrities get involved for the first time, with debutants named in the squads for both England and the World XI. Fresh faces in the Three Lions camp include actor Owen Cooper, former England rugby player Joe Marler, radio presenter Jordan North and influencer and podcaster GK Barry.
As for the World XI, new players include actor Chris O'Dowd, Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil and YouTuber Behzinga, as well as former champion jockey Frankie Dettori.
The 55-year-old retired from racing in February, bringing an end to a remarkable 40-year career which saw him ride the winners of 288 Group 1 races, including 23 winners of British Classic Races. His most celebrated achievement is his historic 'Magnificent Seven' at Ascot in 1996, when he rode every single winner on the card at odds of more than 25,000-1.
Away from the racecourse, however, Dettori's life has been especially turbulent in recent years, with the legendary jockey filing for bankruptcy in March last year.
At the time, the Italian star said he was "saddened and embarrassed" to have to take the measure due to unpaid tax resulting from his involvement in a “tax avoidance scheme”.
He added that he had been left to “unravel the mess” in which a previous financial adviser left him and the decision to file for bankruptcy was a "major" one with its consquences set to affect him "for many years".
While the total amount he owed has not been explicitly stated, an update was issued earlier this year in regard to the liquidation of companies Frankie Dettori Limited and Newmarket Activities Limited.
Documents shared on Companies House showed that the sum owed to HMRC as of October 20 last year was £765,542.
Together with liquidator fees and a further £6,391 due to a car leasing company, the total amount owed was £888,799.
It is estimated that over the course of his career, Dettori, who rode more than 3,300 winners, earned between £15m and £20m from racing alone, with his net worth at one stage in his life believed to be around £18 million.
He also made a name for himself outside of racing, becoming a team captain on A Question Of Sport and appearing on reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here.
It was confirmed at a hearing in March that Dettori would remain legally bankrupt for a further year after a judge at a specialist insolvency court ruled his bankruptcy should not be automatically discharged.
Bankruptcy orders end automatically after a year in England and Wales, but can be extended by a judge, meaning the bankrupt is still bound by its terms and can face criminal prosecution if they do not co-operate.
Dettori did not appear at the hearing and was not represented, but lawyers for the two trustees of Mr Dettori’s bankruptcy asked for the order to remain in place for another year, with the former jockey "has not and is still not complying" with requests for information about his assets, including whether he owns properties abroad.
Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs ruled that the bankruptcy order could continue until March 16 2027, which he said was “not an unrealistic period” given Dettori's “blatant failure” to comply in providing information.
“There is much to uncover in this bankruptcy," said Judge Briggs. "And it may well be that criminal sanctions will be a useful tool for the trustees.”