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It has been a thrilling, glorious and at times rocky path, but this time, it seems the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied jockey of the past four decades will effectively enter retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not see a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, no surname required. People know who he is, even if they have absolutely no interest in what he does. In a world that has been divided by social media and online networks, Dettori could be the last racing figure who will ever experience such immediate name-recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, after all, dates back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team leader was sufficient to establish him as the bubbly, irrepressible face of racing. His last year on the program was 2004, which was also the time when he won the top jockey award for a third and final time. For much of the British public, though, 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 double-edged reward for events 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 overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to win all seven races that day.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from a fiery crash of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, after a crash on takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was headline news.

While everyone admires a champion, they often love a flawed hero and a return all the more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for many riders in their forties, more than enough time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden at Newmarket, and a new series of winners and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The public highs and lows were a crucial element of Dettori’s story, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep private.

There were so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that absent Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was clear from the start as a young 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. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same card that he would charge through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to 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 position, when to strike and where the gaps will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what now for the recognizable figure of UK horse racing? It won't be simple to finally let go, whether or not Dettori fulfils his expressed wish to take “a few rides in South America, which is something he always wanted to do”. This is not, after all, a goal that he has mentioned previously.

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

Fresh Ventures

He has been appointed to a new position as an international ambassador with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the primary reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I like the set-up – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, a genuine legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes like LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelés and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you know that he has influenced countless lives worldwide.

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

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Celebrity Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity have tended to reveal a moodier side to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public image. In both programs, he was an early casualty due to viewer votes.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he'll do and how to spend his time once his race-riding days are over. And for another one more day, he remains a top-level professional jockey, focused on three mounts at one of the globe's prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be Dettori’s last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race in which he registered his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she has something to improve to compete, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?