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It has been a thrilling, magnificent and at times rocky path, but this time, it seems the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied rider of the past 40 years is set to enter retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances 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

Together with Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck in the last 50 years, “Frankie” is recognized by pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. The public knows who he is, even if they possess no interest at all in his profession. In today's world that has been divided by digital platforms and online networks, Dettori may well be the final equestrian personality who will ever experience such immediate brand recognition across a broad swathe 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 captain was more than enough to cement him as the lively, irrepressible face of racing. His last year on the program came in 2004, which was also the time when he won the top jockey award for a third and last occasion. For much of the British public, however, he has probably been the champion for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

This is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for events on and off the track which have often 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.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from a fiery crash of a small plane by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, following an accident during takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When he finally ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became front-page news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they often love a flawed hero and a return all the more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for many riders in their 40s, more than enough time for owners and trainers 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 winners and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, right up until the humiliating admission in March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

There were numerous turns to the tale, in fact, that it can be easy to forget that absent his tremendous, generational talent, there would be no narrative whatsoever.

Natural Ability

It was clear from the start as a teenage apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider when Dettori was in the saddle.

Horses ran for him, and got better under him. In 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also announced 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, copied from the American 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 knowing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to position, when to make a move and where the gaps will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what now for the public face of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, whether or not Dettori fulfils his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, something that I’ve always wanted to do”. It is not, after all, an ambition that he has mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to accept the tax advice that resulted in his dispute with HMRC means that Dettori will not end his career with sufficient funds in the bank to relax and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian’s burgeoning Amo Racing operation. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, very often. I like the set-up – this is a young team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new recruit on Thursday at Del Mar. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” he stated. “When you talk about great sportsmen like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelés and people like that, Frankie represents that for horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize that he’s made a big impact on so many lives across the world.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he’s here to actually work and he will be collaborate with us closely. He will participate in every area of our operations though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, although earlier outings on Celebrity Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity have tended to reveal a more somber aspect to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public image. In both programs, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

It's possible that Dettori personally does not really know what he'll do and how to spend his time once his race-riding days ends. And for another one more day, he remains an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

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 back 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 Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?