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It has been a thrilling, glorious and sometimes rocky path, yet now, it seems Frankie Dettori's decision is final. The most celebrated jockey over the last 40 years will effectively head into retirement after the main card at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last Grade One winner to his almost 300 on his record already. Racing may not see a career like his ever again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, Frankie Dettori is recognized by pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. People know his identity, even if they possess absolutely no interest 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 that will ever enjoy such instant name-recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

Dettori’s lifetime in the sport, after all, dates back to an era when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team captain was sufficient to cement him as the bubbly, unforgettable figure of racing. His final 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. As far as many in the UK, however, he has probably been the champion for many seasons since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-won celebrity, a double-edged reward for incidents on and off the track which have often propelled Dettori onto the front pages, since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to win all seven races on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from a fiery crash of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash on takeoff where the pilot was killed. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that also became front-page news.

And if everyone loves a winner, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a return even more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the end of many riders in their 40s, more than enough time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. 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 champions and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The public highs and setbacks have been an essential part of Dettori’s story, right up until the humiliating admission this past March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists in his story, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that without Dettori’s immense, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was clear from the start as a teenage apprentice that he had an instinctive rapport with the horses whenever Dettori was on board.

Horses ran for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also announced his emergence at the highest level with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would charge through unbeaten just six years later. His iconic flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the thrill from winning major races has always stayed with him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with almost foresight, where to sit, when to make a move and where the gaps will emerge.

What Comes Next?

But what now for the public face of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, regardless if Dettori fulfils his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, which is something he always wanted to do”. It is not, in fact, a goal that he has mentioned until now.

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

New Role and Opportunities

He has already been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian's growing Amo Racing enterprise. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances are rare, very often. I like the set-up – this is a young team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian personally, was gushing in his praise for his new recruit at Del Mar on Thursday. “He’s an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelés and people like that, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you know that he’s made a big impact countless lives across the world.

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

Reality TV is another possibility, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … often showed a moodier side of his personality, behind the ebullient public image. On both shows, he was an early casualty due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori personally is unsure what he will 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, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be his final Grade One mount in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his initial Breeders’ Cup win in 1994. Her performance in Japan in Japan suggests that she needs to find to figure, yet few jockeys in history have ever risen to an occasion like Frankie Dettori.

One last time, cue Frankie?