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The journey has been a thrilling, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, yet now, it appears Frankie Dettori's mind is made up. The most storied jockey over the last 40 years is set to head into retirement after the main card during the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not witness a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” is recognized by 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 today's world that has been fragmented by social media and the internet, Dettori could 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 the sport, in fact, goes back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in more than 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to cement him as the bubbly, irrepressible face of racing. 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. For much of the British public, though, he has likely been the champion in most years after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the track that have repeatedly propelled Dettori into the headlines, ever since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to win all seven races that day.

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident during takeoff in which the plane’s pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became front-page news.

While everyone admires a winner, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a return all the more. A half-year suspension following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for many riders in their forties, plenty of time for owners and trainers to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of champions and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows were an essential part of Dettori’s story, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it's easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

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

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Piggott to achieve 100 wins in one season, and also announced his arrival 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 US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to his routine in 1994, and the thrill from riding a big-race winner has never left him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to position, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, regardless if Dettori pursues his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, something that he always wanted to experience”. This is not, in fact, a goal that he has mentioned until now.

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

Fresh Ventures

He has already been confirmed in a new role as an international ambassador with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian’s growing Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races on Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, very often. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” he stated. “When discussing great sportsmen such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi and Pelés and people like that, Frankie is that for horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you realize that he’s made a big impact on so many lives worldwide.

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

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … often showed a moodier side to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public image. In both programs, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he'll do and how he will fill his time after his riding career ends. And for another 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, focused on three rides at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare named Argine will be Dettori’s final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event in which he registered his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she needs to improve to compete, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Frankie Dettori.

One last time, cue Frankie?