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It has been an exhilarating, magnificent and at times rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most celebrated jockey over the last four decades is set to head into retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 on his record already. Racing may not witness a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, Frankie Dettori registers with almost everybody, no surname required. People know who he is, even if they possess absolutely no interest in his profession. In a world that has been divided by social media and online networks, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality that will ever experience such immediate brand recognition among a wide segment of Britain's people.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, in fact, goes back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team captain was sufficient to establish him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of racing. His final year on the program came in 2004, which was also the time when he secured the top jockey award for a third and final time. For much of the British public, however, he has probably been the top jockey in most years since.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many respects, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for events both on and off the track that have repeatedly pushed Dettori into the headlines, since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to win all seven races that day.

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 was killed. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was headline news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they frequently adore a flawed hero and a return even more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, plenty of time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and classic victors, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The public highs and setbacks have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that without his tremendous, generational talent, there would be no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was clear from the start as a young apprentice that he had an instinctive rapport with the horses whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would charge through unbeaten just six years later. His iconic flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to his routine in 1994, and the thrill from winning major races has always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of knowing, with almost clairvoyance, where to position, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the public face of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, whether or not Dettori pursues his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, which is something he always wanted to do”. 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 means that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with enough money saved up to kick back and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has been appointed to a new position as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing operation. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, very often. I like the set-up – this is a young team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian personally, was gushing in his praise for his new recruit on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, a genuine legend in the sport,” he stated. “When you talk about great sportsmen like LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize that he has influenced on so many lives worldwide.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to amuse audiences, he’s here to actually work and he will collaborate with us very closely. He will participate in all aspects of our operations [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a moodier side to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public image. In both programs, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

It's possible that Dettori personally does not really know 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, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be his final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she needs to find to figure, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?