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The journey has been a thrilling, glorious and at times rocky path, yet now, it appears the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied jockey over the last four decades will effectively enter retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 on his record already. The sport might not witness a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, Frankie Dettori registers with almost everybody, without needing a last name. The public knows his identity, even if they have absolutely no interest in his profession. In a world which has become fragmented by social media and the internet, Dettori may well be the last racing figure who 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 an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team leader was more than enough to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of the sport. His last year on the show was 2004, which was also the year when he secured the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. As far as much of the British public, however, he has probably been the champion for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for incidents both on and off the racecourse which have often propelled Dettori into the headlines, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from a fiery crash 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 winner, they often love a flawed hero and a return even more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for many riders in their 40s, more than enough time for owners and trainers to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, suspension in December 2012 served as a bridge to a revived partnership with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of winners and classic victors, such as 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 embarrassing confession in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that he attempted, and failed, to keep private.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it's easy to overlook that absent his tremendous, generational talent, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

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

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level 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 thrill from winning major races has never left him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with something akin to foresight, where to position, when to make a move and where openings will emerge.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, regardless if Dettori pursues his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to experience”. It is not, in fact, an ambition that he has mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues indicates that he will not end his career with sufficient funds in the bank to relax and take it easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has already been confirmed in a new role as an international ambassador with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian's growing Amo Racing enterprise. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races on Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, along with the chance to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, frequently. I like the set-up – this is a young team with huge goals,” said the rider.

Joorabchian personally, was effusive in his compliments for his new ambassador at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi and Pelés and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, 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 actually 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 often showed a more somber aspect to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public image. In both programs, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori himself is unsure what he will do and how he will fill his time once his race-riding days are over. And for at least 24 hours at least, he remains a top-level professional jockey, focused on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be Dettori’s final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win back in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she has something to improve to compete, but few riders in history have ever excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?