FRANKIE DETTORI stepped up his bid to become this year's champion jockey by booting home a 24-1 double aboard Connotation and Inchpast at Redcar yesterday, writes Colin Woods.

Dettori is now just one behind (147-148) the current holder Kieren Fallon in the race for the title, prompting leading bookmaker Ladbrokes to quote odds of 5-6 each of two to land the championship.

Dettori wasted little time getting on the score-sheet when conjuring up a storming late run to take the opener on the Paul d'Arcy-trained Connotation. Even though the contest was over the minimum trip of five furlongs, Frankie seemed in no hurry to make his move, however when he did kick in the turbo, Connotation responded with a devastating burst to cut down the leaders in the shadow of the post.

"Even though she left it late, Frankie said she was always going to win.

"The first time visor did the trick and Connotation has done it well in the end," said d'Arcy's travelling head lad, Paul Rutter.

And there was more success for the effervescent Italian, who was seen at his strongest when Inchpast battled on gamely to take the feature event at the meeting, the Sharp Minds Betfair Handicap, over a mile-and-three-quarters.

This time Dettori did not wait until the dying stages to take the lead, instead seizing the initiative fully three furlongs from home and then keeping his eight rivals at bay with a power-packed drive from the saddle.

A near gale-force tail wind meant the race-times were very fast, a factor which no doubt helped Amalie nip 1/100th of a second off the existing two-year-old six furlong track record in the EBF Maiden Fillies Stakes.

Triumphant rider Seb Sanders always had his filly in a prominent position, surging clear to register a clear-cut three-length victory on Clive Brittain's filly.

"She hasn't got any big-race entries, but that might all change now," revealed Jonothan Mills, representing the winning owner, Saeed Manana.

Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, refused to be drawn on his team's poor start to the season, however he has at least backed a winner by enlisting as a partner in the Highclere Thoroughbred Partnership.

Highclere's colours are regularly seen in the winners' enclosure and Sir Alex was on hand to receive the Double Trigger Trophy after their representative, Spear, gained a hard-fought success in the nine-furlong race.

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