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

The journey has been a thrilling, glorious and sometimes bumpy ride, yet now, it seems the famed jockey's mind is made up. The most storied rider over the last 40 years is set to enter retirement following the primary events at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will have three opportunities to add a farewell top-tier victory to his almost 300 on his record already. The sport might not witness a career quite like it again.

An Iconic Figure

Alongside racing great Lester Piggott and perhaps John McCririck over the past half-century, Frankie Dettori registers with pretty much everyone, without needing a last name. People know his identity, even if they possess no interest at all in his profession. In today's world which has become divided by digital platforms and the internet, Dettori may well be the last racing figure that will ever experience such immediate name-recognition among a wide segment of the British population.

Dettori’s lifetime in horse racing, in fact, goes back to an era when A Question Of Sport often attracted over 10 million audience members, and a three-year stint as a team leader was sufficient to establish him as the lively, irrepressible face of the sport. His last year on the program was 2004, that was also the time when he won the Flat jockeys’ title for the third and final time. As far as many in the UK, however, he has likely been the champion in most years since.

A Hard-Won Celebrity

It is, in many ways, a hard-earned fame, a double-edged reward for incidents both on and off the racecourse which have often pushed Dettori into the headlines, ever since that memorable day at Ascot in 1996 when he overcame massive 25,000-1 odds to ride all seven winners on the card.

In June 2000, he was rescued from the burning wreckage of a light aircraft by fellow jockey, Ray Cochrane, after a crash during takeoff where the pilot was killed. When at last ended his quest for a Derby winner in 2007, that too was front-page news.

While everyone admires a champion, they frequently adore an imperfect hero and a return all the more. A six-month ban 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 find a younger alternative. For Dettori, however, suspension in December 2012 served as a bridge to a renewed association with John Gosden in Newmarket, and a new series of winners and Classic winners, including Enable, Golden Horn and Stradivarius.

Ups and Downs

The celebrated successes and lows have been an essential part of his narrative, right up until the humiliating admission this past March that he filed for bankruptcy after a prolonged dispute with HMRC regarding unpaid taxes, a circumstance that Dettori tried, and did not succeed, to keep private.

There have been numerous turns to the tale, indeed, that it can be easy to forget that absent his tremendous, once-in-a-generation skill, there would have been no story at all.

Natural Ability

It was clear from the start as a young apprentice that there was a natural connection with the horses whenever Dettori was on board.

Steeds performed for him, and improved for him. Back in 1990, he became the first teen since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in one season, and also announced his arrival among the elite with a Group One double 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 added to his routine in 1994, and the buzz from riding a big-race winner has always stayed with him. Neither has the talent of knowing, with something akin to clairvoyance, where to sit, when to strike and where the gaps will appear.

What Comes Next?

But what next for the public face of UK horse racing? It will not be easy to step away completely, whether or not Dettori pursues his apparent desire to accept some mounts in South America, which is something I’ve always wanted to experience”. It is not, in fact, a goal that he had mentioned until now.

But the calamitous decision to follow tax guidance that resulted in his dispute with HMRC means that he will not draw down the curtain with sufficient funds in the bank to relax and take things easy.

Fresh Ventures

He has already been appointed to a new position as a “global ambassador” with the football super-agent Kia Joorabchian's burgeoning Amo Racing enterprise. He explained to racing presenter Matt Chapman on Friday this was the main reason for his exit now, along with the chance to conclude at the Breeders’ Cup. “Such chances are rare, very often. I appreciate the structure – it's a youthful team with big ambitions,” said the rider.

Joorabchian personally, was effusive in his compliments for his new recruit on Thursday at Del Mar. “He is an icon, he is a true legend in the sport,” he stated. “When discussing elite athletes such as LeBron James, Currys, Lionel Messi and Pelés and similar figures, Frankie is that to horse racing. When visiting Royal Ascot, you notice a statue, you realize that he’s made a big impact on so many lives worldwide.

“He’s not here|“He isn't here} to entertain people, he's here to work and he will be collaborate with us very closely. He will participate 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, though previous appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity … have tended to reveal a more somber aspect of his personality, beneath the cheerful public persona. In both programs, he was an early exit of the public vote.

It may be that Dettori personally is unsure what he will do and how to spend his time after his race-riding days ends. And for another one more day, he stays an elite professional jockey, concentrating on three mounts at one of the most prestigious and dazzling events in the calendar.

The Final Ride

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 back in 1994. Her form at home indicates 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, is it time for Frankie?