Racing will miss Dettori but his farewell tour is a priceless gift to the sport

It has been one of racing's longest laments. How will we fare when Frankie is gone?

The answer to that question will soon be forthcoming, yet before we worry about what life will be like without him, we should look forward to enjoying one more year with him. It is a year that presents a priceless – perhaps even unique – opportunity for horseracing.

Over what has been a marathon career, Frankie Dettori has lit up the sport. He remains indisputably the world's most famous jockey. There have been numerous occasions when he has also looked the world's best jockey, certainly when his confidence was high on the grandest stages. In talent and tone he is a force of nature, irrepressible, irresistible, irreplaceable. More than anyone since Lester Piggott, Dettori is racing – and racing is lucky to have him.