Frankie Dettori has shone on racing's biggest stages - but there remains one gaping hole in his brilliant record.

He is missing a win in perhaps the biggest Flat race of all, the Derby at Epsom.

Despite making the frame three times, the popular Italian-born jockey has yet to triumph from nine rides in the showpiece event.

And this is despite boasting the ride on some leading contenders, most notably Dubai Millennium who flopped when well fancied in 1999.

But Dettori believes his 2002 mount Naheef is his "best chance" yet to land the Epsom showpiece.

The Italian-born jockey has won every other British Classic twice, but he has never been successful in the blue riband.

And the rider is confident the son of Marju can put a disappointing effort in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas firmly behind him when he steps up to a mile and a half on Saturday.

He said: "The horse has done really well since the Guineas. He's been improving and it's very positive.

Naheef has already demonstrated a liking for the Surrey track, having won over seven furlongs there on his racecourse debut as a juvenile.

"Naheef seems the perfect horse for the race - he's well-balanced and he has the speed.

"I have been saying all along he is a Derby horse. We knew he didn't have the pace and speed to tackle the best milers."

Naheef comes from the same staying family as last year's Irish Oaks winner Lailani.

And he showed himself a smart two-year-old when taking the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood before finishing second to current Derby favourite Hawk Wing in the National Stakes at The Curragh.

"This is the first Derby horse I am riding which is suited for the race," explained the rider.

"Most of the horses I have ridden have not been suited by the race. This is my best chance."

Victory at Epsom would be a high to round off a rollercoaster period for the outgoing Italian.

Dettori's Derby blank is a curiosity, because his Epsom record as a whole is good.

He won the fillies' Classic, the Oaks, two years running with victories on Ballanchine (1994) and Moonshell (1995).

And last year he won the meeting's other Group One race, the Coronation Cup, for the fourth time, succeeding on Mutafaweq.

In June 2000, Dettori - along with fellow jockey Ray Cochrane - survived a plane crash in which the pilot was killed.

The light aircraft in which they were travelling crashed after take-off from Newmarket.

Dettori suffered a broken ankle and facial injuries but made a quick recovery and was back in the saddle later that summer.

He suffered disappointments afterwards, including an injury which ended Dubai Millennium's career, and then the death of the star colt at stud.

But Dettori displayed all his charismatic flair in the 2001 season, winning the 100th Group One event of his career aboard Sakhee in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Dettori has been beloved by racing fans in Britain, where he is based at Newmarket, since arriving from Italy as a teenager.

He cemented that relationship when making many small fortunes, and making history, by going through the card with all seven winners at Ascot's Festival of Racing in 1996.

An Epsom Derby win would not only cheer Dettori's legion of fans, it would mean the jockey could rest a little easier.

Another racing great, the late Sir Gordon Richards, rode for 33 years but had to wait 32 before finally winning the Epsom showpiece.

Frankie hopes he can lay his Derby hoodoo earlier than that.