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It has been a thrilling, glorious and at times rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most storied jockey over the last 40 years will effectively head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three chances to add a farewell Grade One winner to his almost 300 already in his record. Racing may not witness a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck in the last 50 years, “Frankie” registers with pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. People know his identity, even if they possess absolutely no interest in what he does. In a world which has become fragmented by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the last racing figure who will ever enjoy such instant brand recognition among a wide segment of Britain's people.

His entire career in the sport, after all, dates back to an era when A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team leader was sufficient to cement him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of racing. His last year on the program was 2004, that was also the year when he won the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. For many in the UK, however, he has probably been the champion in most years since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the track which have often pushed Dettori into the headlines, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied massive 25,000-1 odds to win all seven races on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident during takeoff where the pilot was killed. When he finally ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was headline news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they often love a flawed hero and a comeback even more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the end of most jockeys in their 40s, more than enough time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 served as a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, up to and including the humiliating admission this past March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Natural Ability

It was clear from the start as a teenage apprentice that he had an instinctive rapport with the horses whenever Dettori was on board.

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also marked his arrival at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. His iconic flying dismount, copied from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has always stayed with him. Neither has the talent of sensing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to position, when to make a move and where the gaps will appear.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, whether or not Dettori pursues his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to do”. This is not, in fact, a goal that he had mentioned previously.

But the calamitous decision to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues indicates that he will not end his career with enough money in the bank to relax and take it 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 enterprise. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, very often. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit on Thursday at Del Mar. “He’s an icon, a genuine legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing great sportsmen such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, 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 very closely. He will be involved in all aspects of our operations [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, though previous appearances on Celebrity 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 due to viewer votes.

It's possible that Dettori personally does not really know what he will do and how to spend his time after his race-riding days are over. And for at least 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the globe's prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be Dettori’s final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win in 1994. Her form at home in Japan suggests that she needs to improve to compete, yet few jockeys historically have excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?