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It has been an exhilarating, magnificent and at times rocky path, but this time, it appears the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied jockey over the last four decades will effectively enter retirement after the main card during the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last Grade One winner to his almost 300 on his record already. Racing may not see a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck over the past half-century, “Frankie” registers with pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. People know who he is, even if they have no interest at all in his profession. In today's world that has been divided by digital platforms and online networks, Dettori could be the last racing figure who will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition among a wide segment of Britain's people.

Dettori’s lifetime in the sport, after all, dates back to an era when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team captain was sufficient to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of racing. His final year on the program came in 2004, that was also the time when he won the top jockey award for a third and final time. As far as many in the UK, though, he has probably been the champion in most years after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for incidents both on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly propelled Dettori into the headlines, since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners that day.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a small plane by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, following an accident during takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was front-page news.

And if everyone loves a champion, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a comeback even more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, more than enough time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of champions and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and setbacks were an essential part of his narrative, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep private.

There have been so many twists in his story, in fact, that it can be easy to forget that absent Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Natural Ability

It was evident from the start as a young apprentice that there was an instinctive rapport with the horses whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. In 1990, he was the first teenager since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten just six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has never left him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to sit, when to strike and where the gaps will appear.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the recognizable figure of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, whether or not Dettori pursues his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, which is something he always wanted to experience”. It is not, after all, an ambition that he had mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his dispute with HMRC indicates that Dettori will not end his career with enough money saved up to kick back and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been appointed to a new position as a “global ambassador” with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian’s burgeoning Amo Racing operation. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races on Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, along with the chance to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, very often. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian personally, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He’s an icon, a genuine legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing great sportsmen like LeBron James, Currys, Lionel Messi and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize that he has influenced on so many lives across the world.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he's here to work and he will collaborate with us closely. He will participate in every area of our business [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a more somber aspect to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public persona. In both programs, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how he will fill his time after his race-riding days are over. And for another one more day, he stays an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be his final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event in which he registered his initial Breeders’ Cup win in 1994. Her form at home in Japan suggests that she needs to improve to compete, but few riders in history have ever excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?