Watch the 'awesome' Pegasus!

Some accolade from this 30-year-old who's already won two Breeders' Cup titles - the 1993 Turf on Kotashaan and 1995 Sprint on Desert Stormer - and almost completed the US Triple Crown on Real Quiet two years ago, taking the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but narrowly beaten in the Belmont.

Aged 25, he became the youngest rider both to win 3,000 races and break the $100 million-mark in prize money. As an apprentice in 1987, he bettered a certain Steve Cauthen's precedent with 450 winners, 59 more than even the best professional rider that season.

Two years later, Desormeaux blitzed Chris McCarron's 15-year-old record for the most wins in a season with a tally of 598, making him leading rider numerically for the third year running nationwide. This guy's even more seasoned to the superstar treatment than Fusaichi Pegasus.

Back on the eve of his abortive Triple Crown, a frenzied media clamoured to snap him with heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield - two men seeking to be champions in New York. "But Evander's fight was called off and I didn't win the Triple Crown," mused Desormeaux.

"We hadn't met before, but Evander was a pleasure to talk to. He broke off from exercising to chat and we exchanged equipment - he gave me a boxing glove and I gave him a saddle."

But all that hype pales against Saturday's task for this Louisiana kid.

"We have the Superbowl and the World Series in America, drawing the attention of the world. Imagine eight of them in one day at one venue - that's the Breeders' Cup," he said. "And on this day, I'm riding the most exciting horse ever in the most valuable race. It's just awesome." Victory would be "absolutely the biggest achievement" to date for Desormeaux, father of two and wed to his teenage sweetheart Sonia in 1990. He also plans to spend a summer riding in the UK before hanging up his tack.

Despite Preakness defeat on his penultimate start and hoof problems that momentarily grounded his Pegasus this summer, the duo was back soaring at Belmont in September. "My first Breeders' Cup win was no fun - I rode the favourite, so all I could do was win. If I hadn't, it would have been a bad ride," he said. "My next was a long-shot and I've never experienced so much joy. This year is different again. I'm older with a kinda 'been there, done that' attitude. "The pressure I feel now is one of hope for everyone involved with this horse, everyone who's gotten excited about him, that he's as good as we think. But when the starting gate opens, I'll just be doing my regular day job."

But Fu Peg - a nickname at which Drysdale recoils, the colt's full title deriving from his Japanese owner Fusao Sekiguchi's first-name with a suffix meaning 'number one' in his native tongue - is anything but regular.

His preparation for both the Derby and the Classic was an idiosyncratic mix of trots, gallops and seemingly slow works galling to US work-watchers. His touchlight temperament complicates starting-gate routine and daily training chores. But Sekiguchi interprets this inquisitive nature and wild behaviour as a sign of intelligence and will to succeed.

"Out-running other horses is easy for him, so he likes to stir it up," agrees Desormeaux. "He gathers my undivided attention whenever I'm on board."

Bound for Coolmore's Kentucky arm, Ashford Stud, under that pricey syndication deal, this winged horse faces an iron competitor marching under the same blood-stock banner in quintuple Group One hero Giant's Causeway this Saturday. It's as compelling a duel, one of raw finesse versus stubborn determination, as we're likely to witness.