Frankie Dettori admits he is in a ‘mess’ with HMRC after legendary jockey loses battle for anonymity over involvement in ‘tax avoidance scheme’

Frankie Dettori has admitted he is embroiled in a mess with HMRC after the courts dismissed his plea for anonymity in a long-running tax avoidance case.

The Italian stopped riding in Britain in 2023, shelving plans to retire by moving to the United States, but he remains the most famous jockey in the business. Last season alone, his 30 winners from a career total of more than 3,300 were worth more than £5.5million in prize money.

Dettori has enjoyed incredible success but he is now in the middle of a hugely challenging period and he took the step of sharing a statement with Mail Sport to explain the extent of the wrangle he is in with HMRC and what he is doing to fix it.

Papers were republished by the Upper Tribunal of the Royal Courts of Justice naming Dettori on Monday after his attempts to secure anonymity on November 22 was rebuffed. He could have taken the issue to the court of appeal but, instead, spoke out.

Dettori said: ‘A few years ago, I employed the services of professional specialist tax advisors to look after mine and my family’s financial affairs. A structure was created and I was told that it had been approved by HMRC.

‘Years later, HMRC is now challenging that structure. My former advisors have since been dismissed. My new advisors and management team are working hard to unravel the mess that I have been put in. They are also working closely with HMRC to resolve the matter as swiftly as possible.’

Courts dismissed Frankie Dettori’s plea for anonymity in a long-running tax avoidance case

Dettori said: ‘My management team are working to unravel the mess that I have been put in’

It came as huge surprise in July 2023 that Dettori had jettisoned his long-standing agent Peter Burrell but the pair insisted at the time their relationship had come to a natural end with rider heading to California; his affairs are now looked after by Howard Kruger’s respected H Talent Management.

There is no indication on how much Dettori – who partnered 287 Group One winners and rode all seven winners at Ascot in September 1996 during his pomp – owes to HMRC but it was revealed in court he asked for this case to be paused in 2019, then asked for it to be heard in private in 2020.

The fact that the taxpayer may be in the public eye and may prefer the public not to know about his affairs does not justify the principle of open justice being restricted,’ Hui Ling McCarthy KC, for HMRC, said in written submissions, describing the structure used as a ‘tax avoidance scheme’.

An HMRC spokesman said: ‘We welcome this decision, which represents an important win for the principle of open justice. We’re committed to ensuring everyone pays the right tax under the law, regardless of wealth or status.’