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The journey has been a thrilling, magnificent and sometimes bumpy ride, but this time, it appears the famed jockey's decision is final. The most celebrated jockey of the past four decades is set to enter retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to secure one last top-tier victory to his almost 300 already in his record. The sport might not witness a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck over the past 50 years, Frankie Dettori is recognized by pretty much everyone, no surname required. People know his identity, even if they have no interest at all in his profession. In today's world which has become fragmented by digital platforms and online networks, 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 the show A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to cement him as the lively, irrepressible face of racing. His last year on the program came in 2004, that was also the time when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and last occasion. As far as much of the British public, however, he has probably been the top jockey for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

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

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, after a crash on takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became front-page news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they often love an imperfect hero and a comeback even more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine could have been the end of most jockeys in their forties, more than enough time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a renewed association 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 public highs and setbacks were a crucial element of his narrative, right up until the humiliating admission this past March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There have been so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it's easy to forget that absent 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 there was an instinctive rapport between horse and rider whenever Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to achieve 100 wins in one season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. His iconic flying dismount, copied from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the thrill from riding a big-race winner has always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with something akin to foresight, where to sit, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what now for the recognizable figure of British racing? It won't be simple to finally let go, whether or not Dettori pursues his expressed wish to take “a few rides in South America, something that he always wanted to do”. This is not, in fact, an ambition that he has mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to follow tax guidance that resulted in his tax issues means that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds saved up to kick back and take things easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about great sportsmen like LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelé and similar figures, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When you go into 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 amuse audiences, he's here to work and he will be 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 are another option, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity often showed a moodier side to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public image. On both shows, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori personally does not really know what he will do and how to spend his time once his riding career ends. And for at least 24 hours at least, he remains a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old mare named Argine will be his final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race in which he registered his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her performance in Japan in Japan suggests that she needs to find to figure, but few riders in history have ever excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, cue Frankie?