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It has been a thrilling, glorious and at times rocky path, but this time, it seems Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most celebrated jockey of the past four decades is set to enter retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three chances to add a farewell top-tier victory to his almost 300 on his record already. The sport might not see a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, without needing a last name. People know who he is, even if they possess absolutely no interest in his profession. In a world which has become divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality who will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

His entire career in the sport, after all, dates back to an era when A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in more than 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of racing. His final year on the program came in 2004, that was also the time when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and final time. As far as many in the UK, however, he has probably been the top jockey in most years after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the track that have repeatedly propelled Dettori into the headlines, ever since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to win all seven races that day.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a small plane by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff in which the plane’s pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was front-page news.

And if everyone loves a champion, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a comeback even more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, plenty of time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, though, suspension in December 2012 served as a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The celebrated successes and setbacks have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, up to and including the embarrassing confession this past March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

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

Natural Ability

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

Horses ran for him, and got better under him. In 1990, he became the first teen since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also marked his arrival among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate without a loss only six years later. His iconic flying dismount, adopted 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. Neither has the talent of sensing, with almost foresight, where to sit, when to make a move and where the gaps will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the public face of British racing? It won't be simple to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his expressed wish to take “a few rides in South America, something that I’ve always wanted to experience”. It is not, after all, an ambition that he had mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to follow tax guidance that led to his dispute with HMRC indicates that Dettori will not end his career with enough money in the bank to relax and take it easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has already been appointed to a new position as an international ambassador with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing operation. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman 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 appreciate the structure – this is a young team with big ambitions,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new ambassador at Del Mar on Thursday. “He is an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” he stated. “When you talk about great sportsmen such as LeBron James, Currys, Lionel Messi and Pelés and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you know that he has influenced on so many lives across the world.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he's here to work and he will be collaborate with us closely. He will participate in all aspects 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 moodier side to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public persona. On both shows, he was an early casualty due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how to spend his time after his riding career are over. And for at least one more day, he stays an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly called Argine will be Dettori’s last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win back in 1994. Her performance in Japan in Japan suggests that she needs to improve to compete, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?