FRANKIE DETTORI concentrates on quality rather than quantity nowadays, cherry-picking big-races such as this afternoon's £450,000 Juddmonte International Stakes at York's Ebor Meeting.

Dettori's brush with death in a well-publicised plane crash at Newmarket last year not surprisingly persuaded the Italian to take life a little easier, and with ammunition of the calibre of the high-class Sakhee (3.10) to ride, who can blame him?

Make no mistake Sakhee represents the heavy artillery, even in a stable as powerful as that of trainer Saeed Bin Suroor. During a positively lucrative Millennium campaign, he was runner-up to the mighty Sinndar in the Epsom Derby, having previously prevailed in the Group 2 Dante Stakes over track and trip.

For sure it's going to be a tough call against the likes of Sir Michael Stoute's Medicean, plus Aidan O'Brien's Black Minnaloushe. However Sakhee is the freshest contender in this immensely valuable contest, recording an emphatic victory over Aldwych at Newbury on his sole start this term.

Few trainers do better than Mark Johnston at the Knavesmire, consequently his runners are always worthy of the closest inspection.

The canny Middleham handler sets his supporters a poser in the curtain raiser to the fabulous 3-day fixture, because he runs both Saphir Indien (2.00) and Ryders Storm in the Acomb Stakes.

The former is owned by the Scottish solicitor Stuart Morrison, successful in the "Acomb" during the mid-nineties with Bijou D'Inde, the sire of Saphir Indien.

Morrison hasn't really had a top-notcher since that time, but the powerfully-made Saphir Indien has the right sort of attributes to make up into a Group standard horse.

Johnston's Ascot Gold Cup hero, Royal Rebel (3.45), bids to win a vintage Lonsdale Stakes for the second year in a row.

For some unknown reason Royal Rebel failed to fire in the Goodwood Cup won by Persian Punch, also in today's line-up. Forgive that flop and the Johnston-trained stayer must be thereabouts in a two mile race to savour.

Robandela (4.15) and Ligne Gagnante also turn out for Mark's yard in the Ladbroke Showcase Handicap.

Consistency has hardly been the middle name of Robandela, although a relatively recent gelding operation might just have the desired effect to help keep his mind on the job.

The Group 2 £150,000 Great Volitgeur Stakes has been won by some great middle-distance performers, including the 1999 winner, Fantastic Light, who gave Galileo such a fright in the "King George" at Ascot last month.

Storming Home (3.45), a creditable fourth in that titanic tussle, and previously successful at Royal Ascot, has to be the pick on all known form.

In the closing £25,000 Links Of London Handicap, Night Flight (5.15) has the speed to keep the cash on home soil.

Richard Fahey's Malton raider put up a terrific performance to finish a close-up fifth in Saturday's Great St Wilfrid Handicap, a perfect preparation for the seven-year-olds bid to make it back-to-back wins in the six furlong sprint.

The only other meeting is being staged at Hamilton where Katie Komaite (2.20) is gradually coming to the boil.

She likes plenty of cut in the ground and ran her best race for a long time when fifth at Haydock on Friday evening. A reproduction of that effort would definitely take her close in the first on the card, the mile-and-a-half Apprentices Handicap.