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The journey has been an exhilarating, magnificent and at times bumpy ride, yet now, it appears Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most celebrated rider of the past 40 years is set to head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, where he has three opportunities to add a farewell Grade One winner to nearly 300 already in his record. The sport might not see a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” is recognized by pretty much everyone, no surname required. People know his identity, even if they possess absolutely no interest in what he does. In a world that has been divided by digital platforms and online networks, Dettori may well be the last racing figure that will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition across a broad swathe of the British population.

His entire career in the sport, after all, dates back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of the sport. His final year on the show was 2004, which was also the time when he secured the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. As far as many in the UK, though, he has likely been the top jockey in most years after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many respects, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for events both on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly propelled Dettori onto the front pages, since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he defied massive 25,000-1 odds 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 during takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became front-page news.

While everyone admires a champion, 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, suspension in December 2012 served as 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 public highs and lows have been an essential part of his narrative, up to and including the humiliating admission this past March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There have been numerous turns to the tale, in fact, that it can be easy to overlook that absent Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from his earliest days as a young apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in one season, and also marked his arrival at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would charge without a loss just six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the thrill from riding a big-race winner has always stayed with him. Neither has the talent of sensing, with almost clairvoyance, where to sit, when to make a move and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

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

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

Fresh Ventures

He has been appointed to a new position 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 primary reason for his exit now, as well as being able to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances are rare, very often. I like the set-up – this is a young team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian personally, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, a genuine legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing great sportsmen such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelé and similar figures, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, 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 working with us closely. He will participate in all aspects of our business [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Reality TV is another possibility, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity often showed a more somber aspect to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public image. In both programs, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori personally does not really know what he'll do and how he will fill his time after his race-riding days ends. And for at least 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be Dettori’s 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 in Japan suggests that she needs to improve to compete, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?