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The journey has been a thrilling, glorious and sometimes bumpy ride, but this time, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most celebrated rider over the last four decades will effectively enter retirement after the main card at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three chances to add a farewell Grade One winner to nearly 300 already in his record. Racing may not see a career like his ever again.

A Household Name

Together with Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” is recognized by almost everybody, without needing a last name. The public knows who he is, even if they possess absolutely no interest in his profession. In a world which has become divided by social media and the internet, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality who will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, in fact, goes back to an era when the show A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team leader was more than enough to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of the sport. His final year on the program came in 2004, that was also the time when he won the top jockey award for a third and final time. For much of the British public, though, he has probably been the champion for many seasons since.

A Hard-Earned Fame

It is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for events 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 odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners that day.

In June 2000, he was pulled from a fiery crash of a light aircraft by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, following an accident during takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When at last concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was headline news.

And if everyone loves a champion, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a comeback all the more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, more than enough time for owners and trainers to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, though, suspension in December 2012 served as a bridge to a revived partnership with John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows have been a crucial element of Dettori’s story, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep confidential.

There have been numerous turns to the tale, in fact, that it can be easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from the start as a young apprentice that there was a natural connection with the horses when Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season, and also announced his arrival at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would charge through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to his routine in 1994, and the buzz from riding a big-race winner has never left him. Nor has the gift of sensing, with almost foresight, where to sit, when to strike and where openings will appear.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the recognizable figure of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, regardless if Dettori pursues his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, something that I’ve always wanted to experience”. It is not, in fact, a goal that he has mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to follow tax guidance that led to his dispute with HMRC means that he will not end his career with sufficient funds in the bank to relax and take it easy.

New Role and Opportunities

He has already been confirmed in a new role as an international ambassador with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing operation. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman last Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities don’t come along, frequently. 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 recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, a genuine legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelés and similar figures, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting 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 working with us very closely. He will participate in all aspects of our operations though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Reality TV are another option, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a moodier side of his personality, beneath the cheerful public persona. On both shows, he was an early casualty due to viewer votes.

It's possible that Dettori himself is unsure what he'll do and how to spend his time once his race-riding days ends. And for at least 24 hours at least, he remains an elite professional jockey, focused on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old mare named Argine will be Dettori’s last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win back in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she has something to find to figure, but few riders historically have excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?