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It has been a thrilling, glorious and sometimes bumpy ride, yet now, it seems the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied jockey of the past 40 years will effectively head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last top-tier victory to his almost 300 already in his record. The sport might not see a career like his ever again.

A Household Name

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, Frankie Dettori is recognized by pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. The public knows who he is, even if they have no interest at all in what he does. In a world that has been divided by social media and online networks, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality who will ever enjoy such instant brand recognition across a broad swathe of the British population.

His entire career in the sport, in fact, dates back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team leader was more than enough to establish him as the bubbly, irrepressible face of the sport. His last year on the program was 2004, that was also the time when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and final time. For many in the UK, though, he has probably been the champion in most years since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

This is, in many respects, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for events on and off the track which have often 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 on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident during takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When at last concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was front-page news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a return even more. A half-year suspension following a positive drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, more than enough time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a revived partnership with trainer John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of champions and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and lows 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 circumstance that he attempted, and failed, to keep private.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it can be easy to overlook that without his tremendous, generational talent, there would have been no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from his earliest days as a young apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider when Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Lester Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would charge through unbeaten only six years later. His iconic flying dismount, copied from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to his routine in 1994, and the buzz from riding a big-race winner has always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with almost foresight, where to position, when to make a move and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, regardless if Dettori fulfils his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, which is something he always wanted to do”. It is not, after all, a goal that he had mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to follow tax guidance that resulted in his tax issues indicates that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds in the bank to relax and take it easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman last Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, along with the chance to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, very often. I appreciate the structure – this is a young team with big ambitions,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new recruit on Thursday at Del Mar. “He’s an icon, a genuine legend of the sport,” he stated. “When you talk about great sportsmen like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie represents that for horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you know that he’s made a big impact countless lives worldwide.

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

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity have tended to reveal a moodier side of his personality, beneath the cheerful public image. On both shows, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

It's possible that Dettori himself does not really know what he'll do and how to spend his time once his race-riding days 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.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event in which he registered his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her form at home 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?