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The journey has been a thrilling, magnificent and at times rocky path, but this time, it seems the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied rider of the past 40 years is set to head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to add a farewell top-tier victory to nearly 300 on his record already. The sport might not witness a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, Frankie Dettori is recognized by pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. The public knows who he is, even if they possess absolutely no interest in his profession. In a world which has become divided by digital platforms and online networks, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality who will ever experience such immediate brand recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, in fact, dates back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team leader was sufficient to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of the sport. His final year on the show was 2004, which was also the year when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and last occasion. As far as much of the British public, however, he has probably been the champion in most years since.

A Hard-Earned Fame

This is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly pushed Dettori onto the front pages, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to win all seven races on the card.

In June 2000, he was rescued from a fiery crash of a light aircraft by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that also became front-page news.

While everyone admires a winner, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a comeback all the more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the end of many riders in their 40s, plenty of time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of champions and classic victors, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows were an essential part of Dettori’s story, up to and including the embarrassing confession this past March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that he attempted, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists to the tale, in fact, that it's easy to forget that absent Dettori’s immense, generational talent, there would be no story at all.

Natural Ability

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

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also marked his emergence among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the buzz from riding a big-race winner has never left him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with almost foresight, where to position, when to strike and where the gaps will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, something that he always wanted to experience”. It is not, after all, a goal that he had mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that resulted in his tax issues means that Dettori will not end his career with sufficient funds in the bank to kick back and take it easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing operation. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, very often. I appreciate the structure – this is a young team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian personally, was effusive in his compliments for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing great sportsmen such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you realize that he has influenced on so many lives across the world.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to amuse audiences, he's here to work and he will be working with us very closely. He will be involved in every area of our operations [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Reality TV 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. In both programs, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally does not really know what he will do and how he will fill his time once his race-riding days are over. And for another 24 hours at least, he remains an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly called Argine will be his 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 has something to improve to compete, but few riders historically have excelled in big moments like Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?