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It has been a thrilling, magnificent and at times bumpy ride, yet now, it seems the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most celebrated rider over the last four decades is set to head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, where he has three chances to secure one last top-tier victory to his almost 300 on his record already. The sport might not see a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck over the past 50 years, Frankie Dettori is recognized by pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. People know his identity, even if they possess 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 name-recognition among a wide segment of Britain's people.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, in fact, dates back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team leader was sufficient to cement him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of the sport. His final year on the show was 2004, that was also the year when he secured the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and last occasion. As far as many in the UK, however, he has likely been the top jockey for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the track that have repeatedly pushed Dettori into the headlines, since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied odds of 25,000-1 to win all seven races on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff where the pilot lost his life. When at last concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became headline news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they frequently adore a flawed hero and a comeback all the more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the end of most jockeys in their forties, plenty of time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, his 2012 suspension served as a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of champions and classic victors, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks were an essential part of Dettori’s story, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with tax authorities over unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

There have been so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it's easy to overlook that without his tremendous, generational talent, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Natural Ability

It was clear from his earliest days as a young apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider whenever Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to achieve 100 wins in one season, and also marked his arrival among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten just six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the thrill from winning major races has always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with something akin to foresight, where to position, when to make a move and where openings will appear.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the recognizable figure of British racing? It won't be simple to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, something that I’ve always wanted to do”. This is not, in fact, an ambition that he had mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to follow tax guidance that resulted in his dispute with HMRC means that he will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds in the bank to kick back 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 on Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, very often. I appreciate the structure – this is a young team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing great sportsmen like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie represents that for horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know 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 working with us very closely. He will be involved in every area of our operations though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity have tended to reveal a more somber aspect to Dettori’s character, beneath the cheerful public persona. On both shows, he was an early casualty due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori himself is unsure what he will do and how to spend his time once his riding career ends. And for another one more day, he remains a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the most prestigious and dazzling 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 identical event where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her form at home in Japan suggests that she needs to find to figure, but few riders in history have ever risen to an occasion like Lanfranco Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?