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The journey has been an exhilarating, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most storied jockey of the past four decades will effectively head into retirement after the main card during the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to add a farewell top-tier victory to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not see a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” registers with almost everybody, without needing a last name. The public knows his identity, even if they have no interest at all in his profession. In a world which has become divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the final equestrian personality that will ever enjoy such instant brand recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

Dettori’s lifetime in the sport, in fact, goes back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team leader was sufficient to establish him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of the sport. His final year on the program came in 2004, which was also the year when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and final time. For many in the UK, though, he has likely been the champion in most years after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a double-edged reward for incidents on and off the track that have repeatedly pushed Dettori into the headlines, since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied odds of 25,000-1 to win all seven races on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash on takeoff in which the plane’s pilot lost his life. When at last concluded his pursuit for a Derby victory in 2007, that also became headline news.

And if everyone loves a champion, they often love an imperfect hero and a comeback all the more. A half-year suspension following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the end of most jockeys in their forties, more than enough time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a revived partnership with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of champions and classic victors, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The celebrated successes and lows have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists to the tale, in fact, that it can be easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, generational talent, there would be no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from the start as a teenage apprentice that he had a natural connection with the horses whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back 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 charge through unbeaten just six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the thrill from winning major races has always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with almost foresight, where to sit, when to make a move and where the gaps will emerge.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, regardless if Dettori pursues his expressed wish to take “a few rides in South America, which is something he always wanted to do”. This is not, after all, an ambition that he had 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 saved up to kick back and take it easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing operation. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, as well as being able to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I like the set-up – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He is an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelés and similar figures, Frankie is that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you realize that he has influenced countless lives worldwide.

“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 all aspects of our operations [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Television reality shows is another possibility, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a moodier side of his personality, beneath the cheerful public image. On both shows, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori personally does not really know what he will do and how he will fill his time after his riding career ends. And for another 24 hours at least, he remains a top-level professional jockey, focused on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she has something to find to figure, but few riders in history have ever excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, cue Frankie?