Frankie Dettori booked to ride Pyledriver in Sheema Classic after Dwyer injury

Connections of the classy Pyledriver have turned to Frankie Dettori – in their words the best in the business on the biggest stage – for Saturday's Longines Dubai Sheema Classic after regular rider Martin Dwyer suffered a knee injury last week.

The star of William Muir's Lambourn yard, Pyledriver failed to fire in Saudi Arabia last month, but his team have quickly moved on from that reverse and are in buoyant mood for the $6 million Sheema Classic, which Dettori has won three times.

He has been booked by Muir's son-in-law Dwyer, who was hurt riding out for Brian Meehan.

William Muir with stable star PyledriverCredit: Edward Whitaker

Muir, speaking before he left to catch his flight to Dubai, said on Monday morning: "Martin's injured. I think his leather iron broke and he's gone down and twisted his knee. He said he couldn't ride and had to be fair to the owners. He's a professional and there's no doubt that if he was right, he'd be riding.

"I don't know how long Martin will be out for as I think he's waiting for the results of his scan, but I left everything to him and he rang Frankie, who said he'd love to ride.

"If I get over and Frankie wants to sit on him he can ride him on Thursday, but I don't see any point. He's as fit as a flea, but if he wants a canter round on him he can – it's not a problem. I haven't ridden for a long time but I could ride him he's that easy.

"On the biggest stage, we've got the most prolific Group-winning jockey in the world. That's what Martin said; he's the best in the world on this stage. Martin was gutted, but said to get Frankie and he was delighted, and we're delighted to have him."

Pyledriver gave Muir the first Group 1 of his long career in the Coronation Cup last year and also ran a blinder when second in December's Hong Kong Vase, but he made little from a wide draw in a valuable Group 3 in Saudi Arabia four weeks ago.

Martin Dwyer: injury absenteeCredit: Edward Whitaker

"The horse is good – he's grand," Muir added. "He's out there enjoying the sun and everything is fine. When we left Hong Kong, Ryan Moore said to me, 'Do not go to Saudi, William'. I told him it was a long time between his races if we didn't go and he'd have been jumping out of his skin. He said, 'Don't go, it's not the right place and that's all I need to tell you'.

"He was right – we shouldn't have gone – but we got drawn on the outside. We've put a line through it. Martin said he was stuck outside and couldn't get in, so Martin eased him up – he didn't have a race.

"It wasn't the right preparation and if we hadn't gone there I'd have been thinking, 'Happy days'. He's in great order though and there's no reason he won't run up to his Coronation Cup and Hong Kong runs. I've had the Sheema Classic in mind for a long time and you live and learn."

Pyledriver's opposition includes fellow Lambourn five-year-old Hukum, a host of quality Japanese raiders and Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir.

"This is a very strong race," said Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick.

Dubai Honour: runs in the Sheema ClassicCredit: Frederic Vernichon

"Authority beat us in Saudi and Glory Vase beat us in Hong Kong, but if we'd have been drawn inside in Saudi he'd have gone very close. I'm not saying we'd have won, but we could have been second or third because Ebaiyra was behind us in Hong Kong and finished third and then Harrovian, whom we beat at Lingfield, was fourth. We had to be in front of them given a clear run.

"Dubai Honour is a nice individual and Hukum is a nice horse too, but I feel we're as good as him and Yibir's a Breeders' Cup winner.

"This is very strong and I just hope we get a lovely draw, somewhere in the first five or six. And that's the other thing with this race, it's a mile and a half whereas Saudi was a mile and a quarter with a bad draw and Martin said he could never get in or get in a rhythm. He was on an unbalanced stride all the way round."

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