n 1996 Frankie Dettori dealt Britain's bookies a knock-out £50m blow with his Magnificent Seven at Ascot. On Saturday, the galloping Italian is set to inflict the pain again when just one ride, the odds-on favourite for the Epsom Derby Authorized, will cost Britain's bookies well over £50m if successful on Epsom Downs. 

"The man is a menace," said David Hood from William Hill, Britain's biggest bookies. "Without exception every housewife in Europe will want the pint-sized Italian stallion to break his Derby duck on Saturday and it'll cost us a another blooming fortune if comes 'pasta the post' first."

"It's Frankie's best chance ever, and Authorized is so dominant he is the first odds-on favourite 10 years. I don't think pressure gets to Frankie, but knowing that hordes of screaming women will be after his hide if he doesn't win could be a £50m headache for him if he loses and for and us if he wins!" 

Hills estimate that an incredible £150 million will be wagered on Derby day with half that amount on the Derby itself. Ante-Post liabilities for the favourite already run into millions but it will pale in to insignificance if Frankie wins. "Under normal circumstances you could expect to see up to 50% of the money staked on a race going onto the favourite but this year the "Frankie Factor" will distort that figure to the extent that we expect up to 80% of bets to be riding on him. Frankie is the new 'Lester' this year, the housewives favourite and while every woman in the street will be celebrating his victory we'll be looking at a £50 million cleaning bill."