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It has been a thrilling, magnificent and at times rocky path, yet now, it seems the famed jockey's decision is final. The most storied jockey 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 chances to secure one last top-tier victory to his almost 300 on his record already. Racing may not witness a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck over the past half-century, Frankie Dettori registers with pretty much everyone, no surname required. The public knows his identity, even if they have no interest at all in his profession. In today's world which has become divided by social media and online networks, Dettori could be the last racing figure that will ever experience such immediate brand recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

His entire career in horse racing, in fact, goes back to an era when A Question Of Sport often attracted more than 10 million viewers, and a three-year stint as a team captain was more than enough to establish him as the lively, unforgettable figure of racing. His last year on the program was 2004, which was also the time when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and final time. For many in the UK, however, he has probably been the champion for many seasons since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

This is, in many ways, a hard-won celebrity, a mixed blessing for incidents both on and off the track 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 rescued from a fiery crash of a small plane by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff where the pilot was killed. When he finally concluded his pursuit for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was front-page news.

While everyone admires a winner, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a comeback all the more. A six-month ban following a positive drug test for cocaine would have been the finish for most jockeys in their forties, more than enough time for trainers and owners to find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with trainer John Gosden in Newmarket, and a fresh succession of winners and Classic winners, such as Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The public highs and setbacks have been a crucial element of his narrative, up to and including the embarrassing confession in March that he was filing 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 so many twists to the tale, indeed, 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 teenage apprentice that there was an instinctive rapport between horse and rider whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners 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 without a loss only six years later. The famous 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 never left him. Nor has the gift of knowing, with almost clairvoyance, where to sit, when to strike and where the gaps will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the public face of British racing? It will not be easy to finally let go, 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, an ambition that he had mentioned until now.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that resulted in his dispute with HMRC indicates that Dettori will not draw down the curtain with enough money saved up to kick back and take it 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 burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. Dettori told racing presenter Matt Chapman last Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, as well as being able to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful 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 in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Messis and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you realize that he’s made a big impact on so many lives across the world.

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

Television reality shows is another possibility, though previous appearances on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a moodier side to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public persona. On both shows, he was an early exit due to viewer votes.

It may be that Dettori personally does not really know what he'll do and how to spend his time once his race-riding days are over. And for another 24 hours at least, he remains an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and glamorous events in the calendar.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly called Argine will be Dettori’s last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race in which he registered his first Breeders’ Cup success back in 1994. Her form at home in Japan suggests that she has something to improve to compete, yet few jockeys in history have ever excelled in big moments like Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, cue Frankie?