DETTORI EXPECTS GOOD RUN FROM BEST OF THE BESTS

Frankie Dettori yesterday forecast his mount Best Of The Bests 'will run a big race' in next Saturday`s Dubai World Cup.

The Italian, who has made a flying visit to Britain for the scheduled birth of his second child, will be bidding for his second straight win in the world`s richest race after his success on Dubai Millennium 12 months ago.

Godolphin`s racing manager Simon Crisford reckons that last year`s Epsom Derby fourth needs to improve to win the £4million Nad Al Sheba contest.

But Dettori said yesterday: 'Best Of The Bests will run a big race in the Dubai World Cup. I give him a decent shot if for no other reason than there`s no horse like Dubai Millennium in the race.

'Best Of The Bests` chance is as good as any. For me the biggest rivals are American challengers, Breeders` Cup third Captain Steve and Kentucky Derby runner-up Aptitude, both bred for dirt tracks like Dubai`s.

'Perhaps my best ride of the night is Dubai Guineas winner Street Cry in the UAE Derby. Hopefully he`ll win and go on to the Kentucky Derby.'

British champion jockey Kevin Darley will miss the Dubai meeting after breaking a bone in his wrist in a fall while riding out for trainer Gerard Butler on Saturday morning.

Darley, who was due to partner Pipalong in next Saturday`s Golden Shaheen, will have the injury X-rayed today and will be sidelined for 'at least two weeks'.

His agent Terry Norman said: 'He was riding out for Gerard Butler and the horse just went down. He`s broken a bone in his right wrist and it is still quite swollen. The injury cost Darley the winning ride on Sergeant York in the Winter Derby at Lingfield. Richard Hughes was the successful deputy.

Pat Eddery launches his 35th season with a ride at Southwell today.

The 11-time British champion jockey, fresh from celebrating his 49th birthday yesterday, partners Greenhope for Jamie Osborne in the Book A Private Box Today Maiden. Eddery, who had his first mount as a 15-year-old apprentice in 1967, has not ridden in public since the Japan Cup last November.

But his agent Mike Hawkett said: 'He has ridden out for several trainers and he is looking forward to the start of the season.

'I would not say that he will necessarily win tomorrow but Greenhope could be a nice horse later in the season.'

Eddery is warming up for the turf season, which starts with the Lincoln meeting at Doncaster on Thursday.

'He will be at Doncaster all three days,' Hawkett added.

'Pat rides Right Wing for John Dunlop on Thursday and he would like to ride his Lucky Gitano in the Lincoln on Saturday but he needs a few horses to come out to get a run.

'He would like to get through the whole year without accidents and suspension and it would be nice to get to 100 winners again.'