It was a tip in itself. Frankie Dettori was back at Brighton yesterday for the first time in more than four years and he returned with a winner.

The Italian maestro led all the way on hot favourite Sunny Lady, his only ride, in the National Talking Newspaper Maiden Handicap over one mile four furlongs.

Dettori had two winners on his previous visit to the track in April 2000. Speaking before racing, he was confident of adding to his tally for Ed Dunlop, son of Arundel trainer John.

"I think I have a horse that can win, so I have come here to ride it," he said. "Brighton is a very particular track, but with so few runners in the race (five) it's not so bad."

Dettori, fresh from six winners at Royal Ascot last week, earned his fee on Sunny Lady, a 4-7 chance.

Brighton jockey Ryan Moore challenged strongly inside the final furlong on 14-1 outsider Crocolat, but Dettori held on to end a frustrating sequence of four seconds for his mount including a narrow defeat over course and distance.

'Well done Frankie', relieved punters shouted, as he returned to the winners' enclosure. He made them smile with a trademark flying dismount before heading off to ride at Newbury last night.

Dettori's many admirers include another of racing's great characters, John McCririck, part of the At The Races team providing live coverage of the Brighton meeting on Sky TV.

McCririck said: "Frankie IS British racing. He is the one face recognised anywhere.

"People have been following him about wanting his autograph. The man is a superstar and Brighton is really lucky to have him coming here.

"It gives status to the course. In America they would pay him just to turn up."