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The journey has been a thrilling, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, but this time, it appears the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied rider over the last 40 years is set to head into retirement after the main card at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances to secure one last top-tier victory to his almost 300 already in his record. The sport might not witness a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Together with Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck over the past half-century, “Frankie” registers with almost everybody, without needing a last name. The public knows who he is, even if they possess no interest at all in his profession. In a world which has become fragmented by social media and online networks, Dettori may well be the last racing figure who will ever experience such immediate name-recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

His entire career in horse racing, after all, goes back to a time when A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team leader was more than enough to cement him as the lively, unforgettable figure of racing. His final year on the show came in 2004, which was also the time when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and last occasion. As far as many in the UK, though, he has likely been the champion for many seasons since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

This is, in many respects, a hard-won celebrity, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly propelled Dettori onto the front pages, ever since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame odds of 25,000-1 to ride all seven winners that day.

Back in June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, following an accident on takeoff where the 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 comeback all the more. A six-month ban after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the end of many riders in their forties, 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 John Gosden at Newmarket, and a fresh succession of champions and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows were a crucial element of his narrative, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he was filing for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with tax authorities regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There were so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it's easy to forget that without his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would be no narrative whatsoever.

Natural Ability

It was evident 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 Lester Piggott to achieve 100 wins in a season, and also announced his arrival among the elite with two Group One wins at Ascot, on the same card that he would dominate through unbeaten only six years later. The famous flying dismount, copied from the US legend Angel Cordero Jr, was incorporated into his routine in 1994, and the buzz from riding a big-race winner has never left him. Neither has the talent of sensing, with something akin to foresight, where to position, when to strike and where openings will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the recognizable figure of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, regardless if 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, a goal that he had mentioned previously.

But the calamitous decision to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues indicates that Dettori will not end his career with sufficient funds saved up to kick back and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has 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 on Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I appreciate the structure – this is a young team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, 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, Lionel Messi and Pelé and similar figures, Frankie represents that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you know that he’s made a big impact countless lives worldwide.

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

Television reality shows are another option, although earlier outings 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 exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how to spend his time once his riding career ends. And for another 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old filly called Argine will be his last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the identical event in which he registered his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her form at home indicates that she needs to find to figure, but few riders in history have ever excelled in big moments like Lanfranco Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?