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It has been a thrilling, glorious and sometimes rocky path, yet now, it appears the famed jockey's decision is final. The most celebrated rider of the past four decades is set to enter retirement following the primary events during the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, where he has three opportunities to add a farewell Grade One winner to nearly 300 already in his record. The sport might not see a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Together with Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck over the past 50 years, Frankie Dettori registers with pretty much everyone, no surname required. The public knows who he is, even if they possess no interest at all in what he does. In a world which has become fragmented by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the final equestrian personality that will ever experience such immediate name-recognition across a broad swathe of the British population.

His entire career in the sport, in fact, dates back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of the sport. His final year on the program came in 2004, that was also the year when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and final time. For much of the British public, though, he has likely been the champion for many seasons since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for events both on and off the racecourse which have often propelled Dettori into the headlines, since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to ride all seven winners on the card.

In June 2000, he was rescued from a fiery crash of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff where the pilot was killed. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that too was headline news.

While everyone admires a champion, they often love an imperfect hero and a comeback all the more. A half-year suspension following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the end of most jockeys in their forties, more than enough time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, though, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden at Newmarket, and a new series of winners and classic victors, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The public highs and lows were a crucial element of Dettori’s story, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it's easy to overlook that without his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was clear from his earliest days as a young apprentice that he had a natural connection with the horses when Dettori was on board.

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also marked his arrival at the highest level with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate without a loss just six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has never left him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with almost clairvoyance, where to position, when to make a move and where the gaps will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, whether or not Dettori fulfils his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, something that I’ve always wanted to do”. It is not, in fact, a goal that he had mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that resulted in his dispute with HMRC indicates that Dettori will not end his career with enough money in the bank to relax and take it easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has been appointed to a new position as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races on Friday this was the primary reason for his exit now, as well as being able to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, frequently. I like the set-up – this is a young team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, 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 discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize that he has influenced countless lives worldwide.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he’s here to actually work and he will be collaborate with us closely. He will participate in all aspects of our operations though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a more somber aspect of his personality, behind the ebullient public persona. 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 once his race-riding days are over. And for at least 24 hours at least, he stays an elite professional jockey, focused on three rides at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly called Argine will be his final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she has something to improve to compete, but few riders historically have excelled in big moments like Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?