FRANKIE DETTORI'S spluttering title challenge was given a boost from the unlikely source of Richard Hannon at Nottingham yesterday.
With the Godolphin horses under a cloud and John Gosden hardly firing on all cylinders, the former champion is struggling for winners.
Most bookmakers had refused to bet on the jockeys' championship at the beginning of the season, believing it was a foregone conclusion for Dettori.
But the Italian ace is trailing in fourth place at present and title odds have been hastily revised.
Dettori has been offered the opportunity this week to make up some leeway with one of his big rivals Pat Eddery suspended.
He stepped in for the mount on Hannon's Saffron Lane a ride which may well otherwise have been Eddery's and had little trouble in justifying odds of 6 to 4 in the Novice Fillies' Stakes.
Saffron Lane had benefited enormously from her Newmarket debut when she appeared very green and, after leading at the halfway stage, cruised home by one and three quarter lengths from the promising Muftuffenuf.
"Frankie really likes her and the boss does too," said Hannon's assistant Sylvester Kirk. She will eventually get seven furlongs and could turn out to be a nice horse."
Mark Brisbourne doubled his tally for the week and landed a nice touch into the bargain when Hill Farm Blues popped up at 25 to 1 in the Arnold Selling Handicap.
The filly, formerly trained by Les Eyre, was backed at 33 to 1 and took about £10,000 out of the ring.
"She's be working well with Tycoon Tina, who won at Musselburgh on Monday, and I really fancied her although I was a bit worried about her getting luck in running in a big field," admitted Brisbourne.
Right Man became the third winning favourite when sweeping from last to first to land the spoils in the Norwest Holst Construction Handicap over a mile and six furlongs.
The Robellino colt, trained by Geoff Lewis, was completing a double and is likely to be seen to even better effect when stepping up in distance.
Corniche Quest underlined her versatility when squeezing home by half a length from Alamisi in the Radcliffe Limited Stakes.
