How a call to Frankie Dettori on the treadmill ended up with the legend co-riding in a £2.6million race on Dubai World Cup night

FRANKIE DETTORI has responded to an SOS from old pal Martin Dwyer and will be fighting for Dubai Sheema Classic glory on Pyledriver.

It’s the first time the Italian has backed William Muir’s Coronation Cup winners, who go 14-1 in Meydan on Saturday.

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Gutted Dwyer is out after injuring his knee riding out home for Brian Meehan.

He put Dettori in the frame and called him to make sure he was free.

Muir said: “Martin called Frankie and spoke to him for us, I think he was on the treadmill at the time! Everything is sorted.

“Frankie is the kid on the big stage and it doesn’t get any bigger than that.”

Pyledriver flopped in the Neom Cup when he returned to Saudi Arabia last month. However, Muir insists it was due to him being dragged in the car park in Riyadh.

This time Pyledriver has a friendlier tie in stall one and Muir said: “The tie killed him in Saudi so we have to settle for an inside tie for that.

“The horse is very versatile. He can jump and walk forward, so we’ll let Frankie do what he does best and decide how he runs the race.

“Pyledriver developed a lot on his last run and looked really good. I’m very happy with him. I can’t believe the price it is! He has a good shot at the numbers.”

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The Mile and a Half Group 1 is red hot. Neom Cup-winning Authority resists again, while Charlie Appleby’s Yibir and William Haggas’ Alenquer also compete.

Dettori is also hoping to win the Dubai Turf on Lord North, a race he won from the same ninth stable last year.

Lord Glitters and Mohaafeth are among the rivals, as is Saffron Beach, ridden by Hollie Doyle.

Dettori is hoping to cap a big day with a fourth win at the £10m Dubai World Cup on clay.

The 50-year-old star first won it at the great Dubai Millennium in 2000 and rides Country Grammer for brilliant but controversial American Bob Baffert, who won it with Arrogate in 2017.