The Legendary Jockey: What Lies Ahead as Racing's Greatest Icon Steps Away?

It has been a thrilling, magnificent and sometimes bumpy ride, yet now, it seems the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most celebrated rider of the past four decades is set to enter retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three chances to add a farewell Grade One winner to nearly 300 already in his record. The sport might not see a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Together with racing great Lester Piggott and maybe John McCririck in the last 50 years, Frankie Dettori registers with pretty much everyone, no surname required. People know his identity, even if they possess absolutely no interest in his profession. In a world which has become divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well 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 A Question Of Sport regularly pulled in over 10 million viewers, and his three-year role as a team captain was sufficient to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of racing. His last year on the show came in 2004, which was also the year when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for a third and last occasion. For many in the UK, however, he has probably been the top jockey for many seasons after that.

A Hard-Earned Fame

This is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a mixed blessing for events both on and off the racecourse that have repeatedly propelled Dettori onto the front pages, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he defied odds of 25,000-1 to win all seven races on the card.

Back in June 2000, he was rescued from a fiery crash of a light aircraft by his fellow rider, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff in which the plane’s pilot was killed. When at last ended his quest 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 return all the more. A half-year suspension after a failed drug test for cocaine could have been the finish for most jockeys in their 40s, plenty of time for trainers and owners to seek a younger replacement. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 was a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in 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 an essential part of his narrative, up to and including the humiliating admission in March that he filed for bankruptcy following a long-standing disagreement with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a situation that he attempted, and failed, to keep confidential.

There have been so many twists to the tale, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that absent Dettori’s immense, generational talent, there would have been no story at all.

Early Talent and Instincts

It was evident from his earliest days as a young apprentice that he had a natural connection between horse and rider whenever Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and got better under him. Back in 1990, he was the first teenager since Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season, and also announced his arrival among the elite with a Group One double at Ascot, on the same day that he would dominate through unbeaten just 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 riding a big-race winner has always stayed with him. Nor has the gift of knowing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to position, when to strike and where openings will appear.

The Future Ahead

But what next for the recognizable figure of UK horse racing? It won't be simple to finally let go, whether or not Dettori fulfils his expressed wish to accept some mounts in South America, which is something he always wanted to do”. This is not, after all, a goal that he has mentioned previously.

However, the disastrous choice to accept the tax advice that led to his tax issues indicates 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 been confirmed in a new role as a “global ambassador” with the soccer agent Kia Joorabchian’s burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. Dettori told Matt Chapman on At The Races last Friday this was the primary reason for his exit now, as well as being able to finish at the Breeders’ Cup. “These opportunities are rare, frequently. I like the set-up – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian, himself, was effusive in his compliments for his new ambassador on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, he is a true legend of the sport,” he stated. “When discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Messis and Pelés and similar figures, Frankie is that for horse racing. When you go into Royal Ascot, you see a statue there, you know 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 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.”

Television reality shows are another option, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … often showed a moodier side to Dettori’s character, behind the ebullient public image. On both shows, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It's possible that Dettori personally is unsure what he'll do and how to spend his time once his riding career are over. And for at least 24 hours at least, he stays a top-level professional jockey, concentrating on three rides at one of the globe's prestigious and dazzling events on the schedule.

One Last Mount

A five-year-old filly named Argine will be his 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, but few riders historically have risen to an occasion like Frankie Dettori.

For one final time, is it time for Frankie?