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The journey has been an exhilarating, glorious and at times rocky path, but this time, it seems the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied jockey of the past 40 years will effectively enter retirement after the main card at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, where he has 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

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, Frankie Dettori is recognized by almost everybody, without needing a last name. People know his identity, even if they have absolutely no interest in what he does. In today's world that has been divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the last racing figure that will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, after all, dates back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in over 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of the sport. His last year on the program was 2004, that was also the year when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and last occasion. For much of the British public, however, he has probably been the top jockey in most years after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for incidents on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly pushed Dettori into the headlines, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to ride all seven winners that day.

In June 2000, he was pulled from a fiery crash of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When at last ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became front-page news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a return all the more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for most jockeys in their forties, plenty of time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden at Newmarket, and a new series of winners and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, up to and including the embarrassing confession this past March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities regarding unpaid taxes, a circumstance 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 without Dettori’s immense, generational talent, there would have been no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from the start as a teenage apprentice that there was a natural connection between horse and rider whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season, and also announced his emergence at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has never left him. Nor has the gift of knowing, with something akin to foresight, where to sit, when to make a move and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of UK horse racing? It won't be simple to step away completely, regardless if Dettori pursues his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, something that he always wanted to experience”. It is not, in fact, a goal that he has mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to accept the tax advice that resulted in his dispute with HMRC means that he will not end his career with enough money saved up to relax and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been appointed to a new position as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances are rare, very often. I like the set-up – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” he stated. “When discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi and Pelés and similar figures, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you realize that he’s made a big impact countless lives worldwide.

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

Reality TV is another possibility, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity have tended to reveal a more somber aspect to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public image. In both programs, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

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

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she needs to improve to compete, but few riders in history have ever risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?