Hundreds of people queued in the dank November drizzle outside a York book store to meet their racing hero - Frankie Dettori.

The champion jockey was at Borders, in Davygate, York, to sign copies of his autobiography, Frankie, which he co-wrote with Jonathan Powell.

Clutching copies of the Italian jockey's book to give as Christmas presents, the queue of eager fans stretched from the first floor to as far along as French Connection, a good 20 yards from the bookshop's entrance.

Katie Frankland, 21, a reservations assistant for a York travel company, said: "I don't care how long I have to wait - Frankie's worth it.

"We go to the races together all the time and always put bets on Frankie to win because no one can beat him. He's the best jockey there is, and he's such a funny man, too."

For 11-year-old Benjamin Busby, from South Bank, meeting Frankie for the second time was like a dream come true.

Benjamin's mother, Emma, said: "Benjamin and his grandfather, my father-in-law, go to the races every school holiday and Frankie Dettori's his absolute favourite jockey. We've already got our Ascot tickets for next year, so maybe we'll get to meet him for a third time."

Asked what it was about Frankie he liked so much, Benjamin said: "He's just a brilliant rider and has a great personality too. He's ace."

Lifelong race-goer Bill Balderson, from Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering, agreed. "Frankie Dettori is the tops. No other jockey can compare in terms of racing talent."

Some avid Frankie fans came from further afield.

Nineteen-year-old Laura Wuelfing is in York to study English for six weeks, due to return to her native Germany shortly before Christmas.

A keen horsewoman herself, Laura keeps her own horse in her home village, near Cologne.

She said: "I bought his book because I think he's the most brilliant rider. It's going to be a Christmas present for my friend back home, to say thank you to her for looking after my horse while I'm in York."

Updated: 10:08 Thursday, November 18, 2004