The effervescent Italian has been riding better than ever this season for his employers, Godolphin, and has secured a clutch of big triumphs, notably the Ascot Gold Cup on board Papineau and last Saturday's Coral-Eclipse Stakes on Refuse To Bend.
There aren't too many gaps in Dettori's CV but the July Cup, the feature race of Newmarket's major summer meeting, is one notable exception. With Kheleyf, though, he has an outstanding chance of filling that blank.
A breathtaking winner of the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, Kheleyf has always been held in the highest regard by connections and the colt has ability similar to his brilliant but ill-fated sister Bint Allayl.
The three-year-old, who has an explosive change of pace, is the type of horse that requires plenty of nerve to ride and Dettori is aware that can be problematic, especially when the colt has to weave his way through a large field.
"With Kheleyf a lot is to do with luck in running because he has to come through late," Dettori observed. "It is quite a tall order to win a Group Three over seven then move up to a Group One over six."
Kheleyf, however, is all class and was originally considered to be up to running in the 2,000 Guineas before an injury in February forced that idea to be shelved.
"That decision paid dividends," said Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford. "He is very well and has a tremendous turn of foot."
But Kheleyf will not have things easy. There is a truly cosmopolitan challenge for the '145,000 prize.
Main danger to Dettori's mount will be Exceed and Excel, who is hoping to go one better than last year's brave runner-up from Australia, Choisir.
An on-song Kheleyf, however, will take all the beating and Newmarket's Clerk of the Course, Michael Prosser, feels the July Cup will be a race to savour.
"This is what we are hoping for," he said. "The most competitive sprint ever run in Europe."
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