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The journey has been an exhilarating, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most storied rider of the past 40 years is set to enter retirement after the main card during the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, where he has three chances to secure one last Grade One winner to nearly 300 on his record already. Racing may not see a career like his ever again.

A Household Name

Together with Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck over the past 50 years, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, no surname required. The public knows his identity, even if they possess no interest at all in what he does. In a 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 Britain's people.

His entire career in horse racing, in fact, dates back to an era when A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in over 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of racing. His final year on the program was 2004, that was also the year when he won the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. As far as much of the British public, though, he has probably been the champion in most years after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for incidents on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly pushed Dettori onto the front pages, since that memorable day 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 the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was headline news.

While everyone admires a champion, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a comeback all the more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for many riders in their forties, more than enough time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a revived partnership with trainer John Gosden in 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 have been a crucial element of Dettori’s story, right up until the embarrassing confession this past March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that he attempted, and failed, to keep private.

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

Natural Ability

It was evident from his earliest days as a teenage apprentice that there was an instinctive rapport between horse and rider whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Horses ran for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen 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 card that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. His iconic flying dismount, adopted from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the thrill from riding a big-race winner has never left him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with almost clairvoyance, where to sit, when to make a move and where the gaps will appear.

What Comes Next?

But what now for the recognizable figure of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to do”. It is not, after all, an ambition that he has mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues means that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with enough money in the bank to relax and take it easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has been confirmed in a new role as an international ambassador with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the primary reason for his exit now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, very often. I appreciate the structure – this is a young team with huge goals,” said the rider.

Joorabchian personally, was effusive in his compliments for his new ambassador at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi and Pelés and people like that, Frankie is that for horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you realize that he has influenced on so many lives worldwide.

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

Television reality shows are another option, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … often showed a moodier side to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public image. On both shows, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how he will fill his time after his riding career are over. And for another 24 hours at least, he remains an elite professional jockey, focused 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 his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her performance in Japan in Japan suggests that she has something to improve to compete, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?