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The journey has been a thrilling, glorious and at times rocky path, but this time, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most celebrated jockey over the last 40 years will effectively head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, where he has 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.

A Household Name

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, without needing a last name. People know his identity, even if they have no interest at all in what he does. In a world which has become divided by digital platforms and online networks, Dettori could be the last racing figure who will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

His entire career in horse racing, in fact, goes back to a time when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team leader was more than enough to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of racing. His last year on the program came in 2004, which was also the year when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and last occasion. As far as many in the UK, however, he has probably been the champion in most years after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

This is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for events on and off the track which have often propelled Dettori onto the front pages, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners on the card.

In June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff where the pilot was killed. When he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was front-page news.

While everyone admires a winner, they often love a flawed hero and a return even more. A half-year suspension following a positive drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for many riders in their 40s, plenty of time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of winners and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows have been an essential part of his narrative, right up until the humiliating admission in March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There were so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it can be easy to overlook that absent Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

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

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also announced his emergence among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same card that he would charge without a loss just six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to his routine in 1994, and the buzz from riding a big-race winner has never left him. Neither has the talent of sensing, with almost foresight, where to sit, when to strike and where the gaps will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the recognizable figure of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, regardless if Dettori fulfils his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, something that he always wanted to do”. It is not, in fact, an ambition that he had mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his dispute with HMRC means that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds saved up to relax and take it easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been appointed to a new position as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. Dettori told racing presenter Matt Chapman last Friday this was the primary reason for his departure now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, frequently. 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 recruit on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelé and similar figures, Frankie represents that for horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you know that he has influenced countless lives across the world.

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

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity often showed a moodier side of his personality, behind the ebullient public persona. On both shows, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori himself is unsure what he'll do and how he will fill his time once his race-riding days ends. And for another one more day, he remains an elite professional jockey, focused on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be Dettori’s last top-level ride 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 historically have excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?