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The journey has been a thrilling, magnificent and at times bumpy ride, but this time, it appears Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most celebrated jockey over the last 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 Grade One winner to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not see a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck over the past 50 years, “Frankie” registers with almost everybody, no surname required. The public knows his identity, even if they have absolutely no interest in what he does. In a world which has become divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori could be the last racing figure that will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

His entire career in horse racing, after all, dates back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million audience members, and his three-year role as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of the sport. His last year on the show came in 2004, which was also the year when he secured the top jockey award for a third and last occasion. As far as much of the British public, though, he has probably been the champion for many seasons since.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for incidents both on and off the track that have repeatedly propelled Dettori onto the front pages, since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 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 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 return even more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for most jockeys in their forties, more than enough time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a revived partnership with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of champions and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The public highs and lows were an essential part of his narrative, up to and including the humiliating admission this past March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with tax authorities regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it's easy to forget that absent Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from his earliest days as a teenage apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider when Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also announced his arrival among the elite with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate without a loss only six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the US 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. Nor has the gift of sensing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to position, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, regardless if Dettori fulfils his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, something that he always wanted to do”. It is not, in fact, a goal that he has mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues indicates that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds in the bank 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 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. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian personally, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He is an icon, a genuine legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about great sportsmen like LeBron James, Currys, Lionel Messi and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know that he’s made a big impact on so many lives across the world.

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

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity often showed a moodier side to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public persona. In both programs, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how he will fill his time after his riding career ends. And for at least one more day, he remains an elite professional jockey, focused on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly called Argine will be Dettori’s final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she needs to improve to compete, but few riders historically have excelled in big moments like Frankie Dettori.

One last time, cue Frankie?