Dettori reflects on Derby experiences

For a man of such talent and an association with horses most can only dream about, it is almost inconceivable that until 10 years ago success in the Investec Derby had eluded Frankie Dettori.

As the popular Italian bids to land his third victory in the Epsom Classic on Saturday aboard the John Gosden-trained Cracksman, the three-times champion jockey will always look back with fondness to June 2, 2007.

Having endured 14 previous failures, Dettori claimed Flat racing's holy grail at the 15th attempt, the same number at which Sir Anthony McCoy enjoyed his first - and only - Grand National win, when steering the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained favourite Authorized to a decisive success.

"Up to that point I had won everything else. It was the last piece of the jigsaw and it was a great relief," said Dettori, who stuck gold again two years ago on Golden Horn, in the Cracksman colours.

"If I didn't win the most important race of the year at least once in my career, it would have been hard to swallow, but we got there in the end.

"Managing the race and the horse itself was the easy bit. It was the razzmatazz and lack of sleep for three weeks that drove me mad, and that was the hardest part. To me it was 10 times bigger, as everybody was going on because I hadn't yet won it.

"He was a lovely horse. He came alight at the races and had a tremendous cruising speed, and a great kick for a mile-and-a-half horse."

After ending the 2006 campaign with victory in the Racing Post Trophy, Authorized had returned on a winning note with a decisive success in the Dante Stakes at York, a success that convinced Dettori he had found the right horse.

"It was after I rode him in the Dante, that's when I thought he could win the Derby," said Dettori.

"I rode him in the spring and he would work one good and five bad. It just depended on what kind of day it was for him, so I was a little bit confused.

"He went to the Dante and he won on the bridle. Of all the trials we saw, he stood out and that was the reason he was a short-priced favourite.

"I had to ask Sheikh Mohammed if I could take the ride and he said that was fine and then everybody jumped on the bandwagon saying could this be the year.

"I did a press conference 10 days before and said ask me all the questions you want now, but for the last 10 days just give me a free run as I need to focus."

With his nerves at their most fraught, Dettori kept his calm to enjoy one of the greatest thrills of his career as he delivered a near-perfect ride to steer the 6-4 market leader to a five-length success over Aidan O'Brien's Eagle Mountain and join an illustrious roll of honour.

Dettori said: "If you have to ask someone what is a perfect ride for the Derby, just watch that race. He jumped out and was one off the rail in about eighth. Everything was in control, it was smooth and he didn't get interfered with. It was like a piece of work.

"I had every confidence in the horse. Aidan had something like eight in there, but as far as the race went it all went like I thought it would go.

"I talked to Lester (Piggott) before it and he said ride the horse, don't ride the race. He said ride your horse and don't get excited about the Derby, just do your own thing.

"I was that confident I looked behind at Tattenham Corner, as I had the first seven covered - I just wanted to see if something was stalking me behind, but there was a little bit of a gap from me to the rest, now it was just a matter of keeping it simple.

"I got into the straight and I just slowly crept into it. I could see all the crowd either side with this very small strip of green like an airport landing strip. It was beautiful.

"I said to myself don't 'do anything stupid'. I got to a furlong and a half out and said 'come on son, let's go' and he took off.

"When I got him to the line it was a great relief. It was the first time I had felt an amazing horse underneath me at Epsom.

"It was beautiful that my parents were there. I met the Queen, then partied for like a month. I invited all my neighbours back to mine and had a drink with Peter in the pub.

"I was bit exhausted after that day, but then the next day I went to Chantilly and won the French Derby (on Lawman). They are all good memories."

With Cracksman - who is a son of Frankel - favourite with some bookmakers, there is good reason why the 46-year-old can afford to be more bullish than some about his prospects of making it win number a three a decade on from Authorized.

Dettori said: "It is wide open this year, but Cracksman has done nothing wrong. The inexperience is a concern, but we have taken him to Epsom twice.

"His form was franked by the Dante winner and he is a live contender. He is not Golden Horn by any means, but he could be."