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It has been a thrilling, magnificent and at times bumpy ride, but this time, it appears the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most celebrated jockey over the last 40 years is set to head into retirement after the main card at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to secure one last top-tier victory to nearly 300 on his record already. The sport might not witness a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Together with Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, without needing a last name. People know who he is, even if they have absolutely no interest in his profession. In today's world which has become divided by digital platforms and online networks, Dettori may well be the last racing figure that will ever experience such immediate name-recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

His entire career in horse racing, in fact, goes back to an era when A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in over 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team leader was sufficient to cement him as the lively, unforgettable figure of the sport. His last year on the program came in 2004, that was also the year when he won the top jockey award for a third and final time. For much of the British public, though, he has likely been the top jockey for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for events both on and off the track that have repeatedly propelled Dettori into the headlines, since that memorable day 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 pulled from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, 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 too was front-page news.

While everyone admires a winner, they often love an imperfect hero and a comeback even more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the end of many riders in their 40s, plenty of time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a revived partnership with trainer John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks have been a crucial element of Dettori’s story, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and did not succeed, to keep confidential.

There were numerous turns to the tale, indeed, that it's easy to forget that absent Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Natural Ability

It was clear from the start as a young apprentice that there was an instinctive rapport between horse and rider whenever Dettori was on board.

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 arrival at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same card that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has never left him. Nor has the gift of knowing, with almost foresight, where to position, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of British racing? It won't be simple to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, something that he always wanted to experience”. This is not, in fact, an ambition that he has mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to follow tax guidance that led to his tax issues means that Dettori will not end his career with sufficient funds saved up to kick back and take things easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has already been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing operation. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races on 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 huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian, himself, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador at Del Mar on Thursday. “He is an icon, a genuine legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing elite athletes like LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie represents that for horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize that he has influenced on so many lives worldwide.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he's here to work and he will be working with us closely. He will participate in all aspects of our business [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is an international 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 to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public persona. On both shows, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how to spend his time after his race-riding days are over. And for another 24 hours at least, he stays 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 mare named Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her performance in Japan in Japan suggests that she has something to improve to compete, but few riders historically have excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?