Frankie Dettori relishes chance to ride Arrest in Epsom Derby swansong

F rankie Dettori cannot even recall where he finished in his first Derby in 1992, but the one clear memory he retains from his debut in the Epsom classic underlines the extent to which he is a human bridge to a different age. “The only thing I remember is walking through the Gypsies [in the middle of the course] back in the day,” he said this week. “That was the only time I got to do that. From then on [after the paddock moved], we went all the way round [on the track].”

Devotees and historians of the Flat’s most famous race could also point out that it was one of the last to be run on a Wednesday, Lester Piggott was aboard the beaten favourite, Rodrigo De Triano, and Steve Cauthen and Pat Eddery were also among the 21-year-old Dettori’s rivals. And now, more than three decades later, his own time as the name that the once-a-year punters look out for on Derby day is drawing to a close.

It has to be said that Dettori has not rewarded his fans at Epsom with anything like the clockwork regularity of the late Piggott, who eventually bowed out here with nine Derby winners to his name. Dettori famously needed 15 attempts to get home in front, and was beaten on outstanding horses including Cape Verdi, Dubai Millennium and Dubawi before his first success on Authorized in 2007. Even a victory on Arrest on Saturday would improve his Derby record to just a relatively modest three from 28.

But there is, of course, only one Derby, and somewhat to his surprise, Dettori will be riding one of the favourites in his Epsom swansong.

“When I said I was going to retire in December,” he says, “I never thought I’d be able to ride a horse with a great chance to win the Derby. So it is a great position to be in that I didn’t expect.

“I rode