Bookmakers William Hill are hoping that the punters' favourite jockey Frankie Dettori will be riding to their rescue when live racing from Dubai, featuring the popular Italian, is screened in betting shops today.

With domestic horse racing suspended for a week, Hills are optimistic that racing from South Africa and Italy, along with the Dubai racing, will encourage customers to continue betting.

"Frankie's presence and some familiar horses can only boost betting on the foreign horse racing," said William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe. Already we have seen bets of up to £1,000 staked on the South African racing."

Dettori partners Street Cry, one of Godolphin's main hopes for the American triple crown, in the United Arab Emirates 2,000 Guineas, a $250,000 mile dirt race at Nad Al Sheba.

As well as last year's Breeders' Cup third, Godolphin have three other runners in the eight-strong field. They are Champagne Stakes winner Noverre, ex-American Dubai World and recent course winner Lajeef.

Dettori will also be aboard Godolphin's China Visit, the winner of the UAE Derby last term, in the Thoroughbred Conditional Stakes over a mile.

This race sees the Dermot Weld-trained Pine Dance, successful twice in the US last season, making his seasonal debut. Last season's Irish champion jockey Pat Smullen rides the winner of the American and Pennsylvania Derbys.

Dettori rides the Australiantrained Flight Pattern in the sixfurlong Mahae Al Shimaal. His 12 rivals include John Hammond's Nuclear Debate (Kieren Fallon), winner of the King's Stand and Nunthorpe Stakes last term.

David Harrison gained his second success of his current Hong Kong stint aboard Bold Victory at Happy Valley yesterday.