Dettori’s holy grail

FRANKIE Dettori was greeted with an unwelcome sense of deja vu on arrival in Melbourne yesterday, something he dearly hopes does not continue through to another Melbourne Cup defeat at Flemington today.

Dettori is the most famous name in world racing but has one of the world’s most famous races missing from his extraordinary honour roll.

Finally cracking it for a Melbourne Cup, after 26 years of trying, would mean the world to Dettori, who after a couple of monstrous years in feature races across the globe has again attained the mantle of the world’s best jockey.

Today he partners Master Of Reality in what will be his 17th Melbourne Cup ride, 26 years after his maiden attempt on Drum Taps.

Nick Williams, who partowns Dettori’s 2019 Cup ride Master Of Reality, talked this week about the Italian’s obsession with winning a Melbourne Cup, a fact the 48-yearold jockey acknowledged after touching down in Melbourne yesterday.

“Of course I am [desperate to win] because my wife’s parents are from here. Cathy’s mum is from Bathurst and her father is from New Zealand,” he said.

“She still has relatives here forever asking me when I’m going to win the Melbourne Cup and I’m forever telling them ‘I’m trying!’.

“It’s not for lack of trying. Look, it’s a major race, it’s missing on my CV and I’d like to win it.”

Dettori was still waiting last night for his luggage to arrive, after going missing on his flight into Melbourne.

“It’s the second time. They did it 10 years ago,” he said.

“So I had to ring around to a few of my friends to bring some clothes for me.

“Ten years ago, the same thing happened and it got in on the same flight in the morning. Otherwise, Plan B, I have to borrow some [race gear].

“I hope it gets here [today] because I’ve got to go to Japan [tonight].”