Juventus, West Tip, Pizza Express and Dubai Millennium

1. He was born on December 15, 1970 – the day that Clive Brittain celebrated his 37th birthday and Henrietta Knight her 24th. Others with whom he shares a birthday include billionaire industrialist J Paul Getty, Miami Vice actor Don Johnson and Clash bassist Paul Simonon. Born into a racing family, as a young boy Dettori wanted to be a petrol pump attendant when he grew up.

2. Dettori is well known as an Arsenal supporter but his first footballing love when he was growing up in Italy was Juventus. Dettori says he supported the Turin-based giants from the moment an uncle gave him a replica shirt for Christmas. “I wore it all the time, which was quite a brave thing to do if you lived in Milan,” he recalled in his autobiography. “Initially Roberto Bettega was my inspiration but I switched allegiance to Liam Brady when he moved from Arsenal in June 1980.”

3. One of Dettori's favourite horses is the 1986 Grand National winner West Tip. At the time, he was based at Luca Cumani's, where employees included Richard Dunwoody's father George. “He kept telling me his son would win the Grand National,” recalled Dettori. “Every week I went to the bookies and I bet £5 of my £20 wages. I backed it at all prices, 33s, 28s, right down.” He won about £2,000; he bought his beloved landlady Val Sykes a new washing machine and got himself a Vespa.