Former jockey Frankie Dettori has had his bankruptcy extended by a year following a court ruling that the order should not be automatically discharged. During a specialized hearing, the trustees of Dettori’s bankruptcy requested the extension, which was granted by the judge.
Bankruptcy orders in England and Wales typically last for a year but can be prolonged by a judge if necessary. This means that the individual in bankruptcy must adhere to the terms of the order and could face legal consequences if they fail to cooperate. Dettori was not present at the hearing and did not have legal representation.
The retired jockey filed for bankruptcy in March 2025 while addressing tax issues in the UK after a dispute with HMRC. He had engaged specialized tax advisors for his and his family’s financial matters but encountered problems that led to the bankruptcy filing.
Liquidators previously stated that Dettori was unlikely to settle his substantial tax debt, which amounted to £765,542 owed to HMRC and £6,391 to a car leasing company. Additional fees brought the total debt close to £900,000.
During the recent court session in London, Stefan Ramel, representing the trustees, informed the court that Dettori had not fully complied with requests for information regarding his assets, including potential properties overseas.
Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs decided to extend the bankruptcy order until March 16, 2027, citing Dettori’s persistent non-compliance with information requests. Briggs highlighted concerns about undisclosed assets, including properties in France and Italy, a valuable watch, a wine collection, and investments.
The judge emphasized that continued lack of cooperation could lead to criminal repercussions, stating that uncovering details in the bankruptcy case might necessitate criminal sanctions. Despite opportunities to present his case, Dettori did not attend court or engage legal representation.
Dettori, who briefly retired in 2023 but resumed racing before his final race in February, has a decorated career with multiple British Classic wins and three British championship titles. He now serves as an ambassador for the Amo Racing team.