Stevens has star billing

Storming Home is a hugely talented yet occasionally temperamental fiveyearold who had the £370,000 first prize for the Arlington Million in the bag when he suddenly decided it was high time the Hollywood luvvie riding him should try a more challenging career as a stuntman.

A violent lurch to the right passing the post saw Stevens tossed like a rag doll between flailing hooves.

The resultant collapsed lung and severe bruising left him "scared to death and fearing I was having a heart attack", yet two months on he refuses to hear a word said against his errant mount.

"The tape shows a stray photographer stepping out in white clothing and if he can be found there's a bounty on his head," he said.

"I thought I was going to die and if it wasn't for a horse like Storming Home I don't think I would have returned. He's as good a turf horse as I've ever sat on and I'm really looking forward to having another crack at Sulamani in the Breeders' Cup Turf." When a man has notched 29 races worth $1m or more it's tempting to ask what extra he could want from his career.

And the short answer for Stevens is a Breeders' Cup Classic. The $4m finale to Saturday's meeting at Santa Anita here in California is one of precious few gaps on his CV and, after three second places aboard Bertrando, Silver Charm and Pleasant Tap, he feels that Lady Luck has finally sent him the horse to put things right.

Perfect Drift may have been passed over in favour of Ten Most Wanted by Pat Day, but Stevens pays him a massive compliment by describing him as "the best pick-up mount I've ever had".

He added: "They haven't gotten to the bottom of him this year. His trainer Murray Johnson says he's doing great and I think he's the best horse in the country."

Stevens achieved millionaire status long ago and now lives in luxury in the spectacular hills overlooking the Santa Anita track where Seabiscuit wrote his name into the history books more than 60 years ago.

Recurring knee problems and the continued lure of Hollywood raise doubts as to how long his own story will run, but Stevens is planning to combine the saddle with the screen for the short term at least.

"I'm filming a pilot for a television show and looking at other film offers," he added. "It's been a wild ride, but I won't be announcing any retirements as I'm still interested in riding and I still feel sharp."

It's asking a lot for Storming Home and Perfect Drift to respond to that sharpness in two of the most fiercely competitive events at racing's Olympics.

Then again, it was asking a lot for a mere jockey to join George, Nicole, Ben and Leonardo on that list five months ago.