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The journey has been a thrilling, glorious and at times rocky path, but this time, it appears Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most storied rider of the past 40 years is set to head into retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last Grade One winner to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not see a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” registers with pretty much everyone, no surname required. The public knows who he is, even if they have no interest at all in his profession. In a world which has become divided by social media and online networks, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality that will ever enjoy such instant brand recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

His entire career in the sport, after all, goes back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million audience members, and his three-year role as a team leader was sufficient to cement him as the lively, unforgettable figure of the sport. His last year on the program was 2004, which was also the year when he secured 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

This is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for incidents both on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly propelled Dettori onto the front pages, ever since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners that day.

Back 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 he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby victory in 2007, that also became headline news.

While everyone admires a winner, they often love a flawed hero and a return even more. A half-year suspension following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the end of most jockeys in their 40s, plenty of time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, though, 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 winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks have been an essential part of his narrative, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Natural Ability

It was clear from the start as a teenage apprentice that he had a natural connection with the horses when Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. In 1990, he became the first teen since Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also announced his emergence among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the thrill from winning major races has never left him. Neither has the talent of sensing, with almost clairvoyance, where to sit, when to make a move and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what now for the recognizable figure of British racing? It won't be simple to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, something that I’ve always wanted to experience”. This is not, in fact, an ambition that he had mentioned previously.

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

Fresh Ventures

He has already been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's growing Amo Racing operation. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the primary reason for his departure now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, very often. I like the set-up – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian personally, 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,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing elite athletes like LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelés and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know that he has influenced on so many lives worldwide.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he’s here to actually 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 an international ambassador.”

Television reality shows are another option, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity have tended to reveal a more somber aspect of his personality, behind the ebullient public image. On both shows, he was an early casualty due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori personally does not really know what he will do and how to spend his time after his race-riding days are over. And for another 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling 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 where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win back in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she has something to improve to compete, yet few jockeys historically have risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?