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It has been an exhilarating, glorious and sometimes bumpy ride, yet now, it seems the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied jockey over the last four decades is set to enter retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not witness a career like his ever again.

A Household Name

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, Frankie Dettori registers with pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. People know who he is, even if they have absolutely no interest in what he does. In a world that has been divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori could be the last racing figure that will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

His entire career in horse racing, after all, dates back to a time when A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in over 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team leader was sufficient to cement him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of racing. His last year on the program came in 2004, that was also the year when he won the top jockey award for the third and last occasion. For many in the UK, though, he has likely been the top jockey in most years after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for events both on and off the track which have often pushed Dettori onto the front pages, since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to win all seven races on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When he finally ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was front-page news.

While everyone admires a champion, they frequently adore a flawed hero and a comeback even more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, plenty of time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, though, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and setbacks were a crucial element of Dettori’s story, right up until the humiliating admission in March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with tax authorities regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

There have been so many twists to the tale, in fact, that it's easy to forget that without his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no narrative whatsoever.

Natural Ability

It was evident from the start as a teenage apprentice that there was a natural connection with the horses when Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. In 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also marked his emergence at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same card that he would charge 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 always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with almost foresight, where to position, when to strike and where openings will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues 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 has mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues means that Dettori will not end his career with enough money in the bank to relax and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been appointed to a new position as an international ambassador with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing operation. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races on Friday this was the primary reason for his exit now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, very often. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador at Del Mar on Thursday. “He is an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelés and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know that he’s made a big impact on so many lives across the world.

“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 though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Reality TV is another possibility, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … often showed a moodier side of his personality, beneath the cheerful public persona. On both shows, he was an early casualty of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori personally does not really know what he'll do and how he will fill his time after his riding career ends. And for at least one more day, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be Dettori’s final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race in which he registered his initial Breeders’ Cup win in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she needs to find to figure, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?