Champion jockey Greg Childs will bring down the curtain on a long and successful career with four mounts at Flemington on Saturday.The 46-year-old cited a loss of "killer instinct" after 30 years in the saddle as his reason for retiring."I've lost the desire, I've lost the aggression," Childs said."You've got to get out there and get the good rides and you've got to get out there and want to win and I've just lost that killer instinct."Childs, who has ridden around 2,100 winners, showed he hadn'
Champion jockey Greg Childs will bring down the curtain on a long and successful career with four mounts at Flemington on Saturday.
The 46-year-old cited a loss of "killer instinct" after 30 years in the saddle as his reason for retiring.
"I've lost the desire, I've lost the aggression," Childs said.
"You've got to get out there and get the good rides and you've got to get out there and want to win and I've just lost that killer instinct."
Childs, who has ridden around 2,100 winners, showed he hadn't lost his skill as recently as Wednesday when he had two rides at Sandown, the latter a late pick-up ride on Be Mine for Wodonga trainer Stephen Aldridge who duly won easily.
On Saturday long-time friend Mike Moroney will provide Childs with two of his rides at Flemington, Butwaittheresmore in the Comic Court Hcp (2500m) and Papa in the Skipton Hcp (1600m) which be his final ride.
Ironically, Childs rode the trainer's first winner and now Moroney can return the favour by, perhaps, providing the jockey with his last.
The pair combined to win many races over the years including the 1997 Victoria Derby with Second Coming.
Childs will also ride Game Serena in the Bounty Hawk Hcp (2000m) for Camperdown trainer Ron Gravett and Mr Hearst in the Shaftesbury Hcp (1400m) for Flemington trainer Dean Lawson.
Included in the former New Zealander's winners are 72 at Group One level - 37 in Australia including two Cox Plates, two Caulfield Cups, nine Oaks and six Derbys.
He rode many top horses for many leading trainers but the great mare Sunline and Northerly stand out as the best.
Childs rode Sunline in 33 of her 48 starts. He was aboard her in 22 of her 32 wins and partnered her in 11 of her 13 Group One victories which included the 1999 and 2000 Cox Plates, the 2002 Doncaster Handicap, the 2000 Hong Kong International Mile, two All-Aged Stakes, two Coolmore Classics and a Manikato Stakes.
He was unbeaten in six rides on Northerly including the 2002 Caulfield Cup, Turnbull and Underwood Stakes and the 2001 Australian Cup.
Childs' major achievements include two Victorian metropolitan jockeys' premierships and a Scobie Breasley Medal.
He has ridden winners in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and the United States.
"I've had a great career. I've been all around the world doing what I love doing, riding," Childs said.
Childs said he would remain involved in racing by agisting racehorses on his Greenvale property and manufacturing the Vipa safety vest for equestrians. Many jockeys in Australia and New Zealand already wearing the protective gear.