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The journey has been a thrilling, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most storied rider over the last four decades will effectively head into retirement after the main card at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, where he has three opportunities to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 on his record already. The sport might not witness a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

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

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, in fact, goes back to a time when A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in more than 10 million audience members, and his three-year role as a team leader was more than enough to cement him as the bubbly, irrepressible face of racing. His final year on the program was 2004, that was also the time when he won the top jockey award for the third and final time. As far as much of the British public, though, he has probably been the top jockey in most years after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

This is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a double-edged reward for events on and off the racecourse which have often pushed Dettori into the headlines, since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a small plane by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When at last concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was headline news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they often love an imperfect hero and a return all the more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the end of most jockeys in their 40s, more than enough time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a revived partnership with trainer John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of champions and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks were an essential part of his narrative, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were numerous turns in his story, in fact, that it can be easy to overlook that absent his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from the start as a young apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider when Dettori was on board.

Horses ran for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also marked his emergence among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate without a loss 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 knowing, with almost clairvoyance, where to position, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the public face of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, whether or not Dettori fulfils his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to experience”. It is not, after all, a goal that he had mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to follow tax guidance that led to his dispute with HMRC means that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds in the bank to kick back and take it easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has already been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing operation. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, along with the chance to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, frequently. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” he stated. “When you talk about elite athletes like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know that he’s made a big impact on so many lives worldwide.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he’s here to actually work and he will working with us closely. He will be involved in all aspects of our business [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Television reality shows are another option, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a more somber aspect of his personality, beneath the cheerful public persona. In both programs, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally does not really know what he'll do and how he will fill his time after his riding career ends. And for at least 24 hours at least, he remains an elite professional jockey, focused on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event in which he registered his initial Breeders’ Cup win back in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she has something to improve to compete, yet few jockeys in history have ever excelled in big moments like Frankie Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?