Dettori lives out a dream

Fourteen years of crushing disappointment endured at Epsom by the most charismatic jockey of his time were swept away by a runaway victory on the heavily backed 5-4 favourite.

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It was a hugely popular triumph which left battered bookies facing a pay-out stretching close to £50 million. One credit client of Ladbrokes watching on TV in London led the cheers after placing a bet of £500,000 at evens on Authorized at mid-day.

In the run-up to the Derby, Dettori had threatened to let his horse do the talking. Some chance. The jubilant jockey was in unstoppable form as he returned to unsaddle.

"I've been dreaming about this day all my life and when I took the lead the whole world stopped. Then my heart stopped," he said. Happily he was exaggerating, and not for the first time.

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"Authorized's trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam told me to ride the horse like I owned him — I wish I did. I haven't slept for two weeks but I will sleep tonight after one of the days of my life.

"I expected a dog-fight but everything went so smoothly. I thought the whole world was shouting at me in the last furlong.Afterwards I wanted to cry. I was that happy."

In the tense final days before the ultimate challenge at Epsom, the pressure on the three-times champion jockey had seemed too much for him to bear.

You would not have known it yesterday as he rode a coolly patient race as if he had ice in his veins. Authorized's start was efficient, his pick-up irresistible, and long before the end they were running in a race of their own.

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Spinning downhill towards Tattenham Corner there was no warning of the drama to come as Authorized cruised in midfield many lengths behind the leader Kid Mambo.

Then, unforgettably, he took off, tongue lolling out of his mouth, and in less than a quarter of a mile he had overtaken eight horses as though they were standing still.

Eagle Mountain, one of eight fielded by Aidan O'Brien, won the skirmish among those scampering in Authorized's slipstream.

Yet he was fully five lengths behind at the line on an afternoon when it could truly be said that daylight was second.

Dettori adores playing on the biggest stage. In his moment of triumph he milked the applause as only he can by cantering back down the track on a protracted lap of honour.

At the furlong pole, he reigned in Authorized, paused, rose in the saddle and saluted the massive crowd. Only then did he set off towards the winner's circle to an ever rising crescendo of applause.

It was an unforgettable reception, which confirmed what he must have known all along. That we all wanted him to end his Derby drought as much as he did.

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A small man clad in olive green silks had delivered a stunning performance on the big, bold striding bay that will go down in history. And we all had a story to tell our grandchildren.

For Dettori is one of those all too rare players who portrays his gifts far beyond the narrow confines of racing.

No wonder the bookies swiftly trimmed Dettori to 5-1 to be the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.

His wife, Catherine, stayed at home near Newmarket with their five children, including youngest son Rocco, whose health has been a cause of concern these past few days.

But Dettori's father, Gianfranco, famously beaten on Wollow in 1976, joined him, beaming proudly, on the winner's podium.

"Thirty-one years ago my dad left Epsom in tears. Today he is elated," said his son.

David Hood, of William Hill, said: "I hope Frankie thinks about retiring now."

Epsom Downs 4.20

1 Authorized (L Dettori) 5-4 Fav

2 Eagle Mountain (J Murtagh) 6-1

3 Aqaleem (R Hills) 9-1

17 ran

Also: 16-1 Lucarno 4th

Non Runners: 5,9

Tote: win £2.30 places £1.10 £2.70 £2.60

Tote Exacta: £13.60

CSF: £8.08

Tote Trifecta: £120.00

Distances: 5 lengths, 21/2 lengths, head

Others:

5th Soldier Of Fortune

6th Salford Mill

7th Kid Mambo

8th Yellowstone

9th Acapulco

10th Admiralofthefleet

11th Mahler

12th Anton Chekhov

13th Regime

14th Leander

15th Petara Bay

16th Strategic Prince

17th Archipenko