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It has been an exhilarating, magnificent and at times rocky path, yet now, it appears the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied jockey of the past 40 years will effectively enter retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, where he has three opportunities to add a farewell top-tier victory to nearly 300 on his record already. Racing may not see a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

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 what he does. In a world that has been divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the last racing figure who will ever enjoy such instant brand recognition across a broad swathe of the British population.

His entire career in horse racing, after all, goes back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million audience members, and his three-year role as a team leader was more than enough to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of racing. His final year on the program was 2004, which was also the time when he won the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. As far as much of the British public, though, he has likely been the champion in most years since.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many ways, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for events both on and off the racecourse which have often propelled Dettori onto the front pages, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners that day.

In June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff where the pilot was killed. When he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became headline news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they often love a flawed hero and a comeback all the more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the end of many riders in their 40s, plenty of time for owners and trainers to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and classic victors, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and setbacks were an essential part of his narrative, right up until the embarrassing confession this past March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it's easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be 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 whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Horses ran for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season, and also marked his arrival at the highest level with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same card that he would dominate through unbeaten just six years later. His iconic flying dismount, adopted from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to 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 something akin to clairvoyance, where to sit, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of British racing? It won't be simple to step away completely, regardless if Dettori pursues his expressed wish to take “a few rides in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to do”. This is not, after all, a goal that he had mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to accept the tax advice that led to his dispute with HMRC means that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with enough money saved up to relax and take things 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 enterprise. 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. “These opportunities are rare, frequently. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about great sportsmen such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi and Pelés and similar figures, Frankie represents that for 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 actually work and he will collaborate with us closely. He will be involved in every area of our business though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, although earlier outings on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a moodier side of his personality, beneath the cheerful public persona. In both programs, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori himself is unsure what he'll do and how to spend his time after his race-riding days ends. And for at least 24 hours at least, he remains an elite professional jockey, focused on three rides at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win in 1994. Her form at home in Japan suggests that she has something to find to figure, but few riders in history have ever excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?