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The journey has been an exhilarating, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, but this time, it appears the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied rider of the past 40 years is set to enter retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to add a farewell Grade One winner to nearly 300 on his record already. The sport might not see a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck over the past 50 years, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, without needing a last name. The public knows who he is, even if they have absolutely no interest in his profession. In today's world that has been fragmented by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the final equestrian personality that will ever experience such immediate brand recognition across a broad swathe of the British population.

His entire career in horse racing, in fact, dates back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million audience members, and his three-year role as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the bubbly, irrepressible face of the sport. His last year on the program came in 2004, which was also the time when he won the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. As far as many in the UK, however, he has likely been the top jockey in most years since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

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

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from a fiery crash of a small plane by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff in which the plane’s pilot lost his life. When he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was headline news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they frequently adore a flawed hero and a comeback even more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the end of most jockeys in their 40s, plenty of time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of champions and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows were a crucial element of his narrative, up to and including the embarrassing confession in March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities regarding unpaid taxes, a circumstance that he attempted, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There have been numerous turns in his story, indeed, that it's easy to forget that without his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was clear from the start as a teenage apprentice that there was a natural connection with the horses when Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also marked his arrival among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would charge without a loss just six years later. His iconic flying dismount, adopted from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has never left him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with something akin to foresight, where to sit, when to strike and where openings will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the public face of British racing? It won't be simple to finally let go, regardless if Dettori pursues his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to experience”. It is not, after all, a goal that he has mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to accept the tax advice that led to his dispute with HMRC indicates that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds in the bank to kick back and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian’s burgeoning Amo Racing operation. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the primary reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, frequently. I appreciate the structure – this is a young team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian personally, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He is an icon, a genuine legend of the sport,” he stated. “When you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Lionel Messi and Pelé and similar figures, Frankie represents that for horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize 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 work and he will be collaborate with us very closely. He will be involved in all aspects of our business though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity often showed a more somber aspect of his personality, beneath the cheerful public image. In both programs, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how to spend his time after his riding career are over. And for another 24 hours at least, he stays an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

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 first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she needs to find to figure, but few riders historically have excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, cue Frankie?