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It has been an exhilarating, magnificent and at times rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most storied rider over the last four decades will effectively head into retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, where he has three opportunities to secure one last Grade One winner to his almost 300 already in his record. The sport might not see a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Together with Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, “Frankie” is recognized by pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. The public knows his identity, even if they possess no interest at all in what he does. In today's world which has become divided by social media and the internet, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality who will ever enjoy such instant brand recognition among a wide segment of Britain's people.

His entire career in horse racing, in fact, goes back to a time when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team captain was sufficient to cement him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of the sport. His last year on the show came in 2004, that was also the year when he secured the top jockey award for a third and final time. For much of the British public, though, he has probably been the champion in most years after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for incidents on and off the racecourse which have often propelled Dettori into the headlines, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied massive 25,000-1 odds to ride all seven winners that day.

In June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a small plane by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When at last ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that also became front-page news.

While everyone admires a champion, they frequently adore a flawed hero and a return all the more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for many riders in their forties, plenty of time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, his 2012 suspension was a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of champions and classic victors, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The celebrated successes and lows were an essential part of his narrative, right up until the humiliating admission in March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep private.

There were numerous turns in his story, in fact, that it's easy to forget that without his tremendous, 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 he had an instinctive rapport with the horses whenever Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also announced his arrival among the elite with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate without a loss only six years later. The famous flying dismount, adopted from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the thrill from winning major races has never left him. Neither has the talent of sensing, with almost foresight, where to sit, when to strike and where openings 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 pursues his apparent desire to take “a few rides in South America, something that he always wanted to do”. This is not, in fact, a goal that he had mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to follow tax guidance that led to his tax issues indicates that he will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds saved up to kick back and take it easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been confirmed in a new role as an international ambassador with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the primary 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 big ambitions,” said the rider.

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 you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Lionel Messi and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know that he’s made a big impact countless lives across the world.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he’s here to actually work and he will working with us closely. He will be involved in all aspects of our business [but] he won’t be a racing manager. He is a global ambassador.”

Television reality shows are another option, although earlier outings 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 image. On both shows, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori himself is unsure what he will do and how he will fill his time after his race-riding days are over. And for another one more day, he stays an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events in the calendar.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be Dettori’s final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win back in 1994. Her performance in Japan in Japan suggests that she needs to find to figure, yet few jockeys historically have excelled in big moments like Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?