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The journey has been an exhilarating, magnificent and sometimes rocky path, but this time, it appears the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied rider of the past four decades will effectively enter retirement after the main card during the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Saturday, when he will have three chances to add a farewell top-tier victory to his almost 300 already in his record. Racing may not see a career quite like it again.

A Household Name

Alongside Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck in the last half-century, “Frankie” registers with pretty much everyone, no surname required. The public knows his identity, even if they have absolutely no interest in his profession. In today's world which has become fragmented by social media and the internet, Dettori could be the final equestrian personality that will ever experience such immediate brand recognition across a broad swathe of Britain's people.

His entire career in the sport, 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 captain was sufficient to cement him as the lively, irrepressible face of racing. His final year on the program was 2004, that was also the time when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and last occasion. For much of the British public, though, he has likely been the top jockey for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for events on and off the track that have repeatedly pushed Dettori into the headlines, since the unforgettable afternoon at Ascot in 1996 when he defied massive 25,000-1 odds to ride all seven winners that day.

In June 2000, he was pulled from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash on takeoff in which the plane’s pilot lost his life. When at last ended his quest for a Derby victory in 2007, that also became front-page news.

While everyone admires a winner, they frequently adore a flawed hero and a comeback all the more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine would have been the end of many riders in their forties, plenty of time for owners and trainers to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, though, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden at Newmarket, and a new series of winners and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Public Highs and Lows

The public highs and setbacks have been a crucial element of his narrative, right up until the embarrassing confession in March that he was filing for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC over unpaid taxes, a situation that Dettori tried, and failed, to keep confidential.

There were so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it can be easy to overlook that absent his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no narrative whatsoever.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from his earliest days as a teenage apprentice that he had a natural connection with the horses whenever Dettori was in the saddle.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. In 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also announced his emergence among the elite 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, adopted from the American legend Angel Cordero Jr, was added to Dettori’s repertoire in 1994, and the buzz from winning major races has never left him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with almost clairvoyance, where to position, when to strike and where openings will emerge.

The Future Ahead

But what now for the public face of British racing? It won't be simple to finally let go, whether or not 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, an ambition that he had mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues means that he will not draw down the curtain 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 growing Amo Racing operation. He explained to Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the main reason for his departure now, as well as being able to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances don’t come along, frequently. I like the set-up – it's a youthful team with huge goals,” explained the jockey.

Joorabchian personally, was gushing in his praise for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” Joorabchian said. “When you talk about elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Lionel Messi and Pelé and people like that, Frankie is 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 entertain people, he’s here to actually work and he will be working with us very closely. He will be involved in every area of our operations though he won't serve as a racing manager. He is an international ambassador.”

Television reality shows is another possibility, although earlier outings on Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity often showed a moodier side to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public persona. In both programs, 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 after his race-riding days ends. And for another 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

The Final Ride

A five-year-old mare called Argine will be Dettori’s last top-level ride in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the same race where he achieved his first Breeders’ Cup success in 1994. Her performance in Japan indicates that she needs to find to figure, yet few jockeys historically have risen to an occasion like Frankie Dettori.

One last time, is it time for Frankie?