Champion jockey Greg Childs will retire from riding after fulfilling engagements this Saturday at Flemington, bringing to an end an enormously successful career spanning 30 years.

The 46-year-old father of two, who has achieved more in racing than most riders could hope to do, cited lost aggression and lack of desire as the reasons for his decision after more than 2000 winners, 72 of those at the Group 1 level.

"I have given it 110 per cent over the years, but I've lost the aggression to chase good rides and to get out and make it happen," Childs said.

"I've climbed to the top of the mountain, but now the time has come to hang my boots up and go on with other things in my life.''

Childs's distinguished career began in 1978, when apprenticed to Brian Deacon at Hawera. He rode his first winner, Stormee, at the Hawera track in August 1978, having just his seventh ride.

He won the champion apprentice's title in the 1979-80 season and developed an association with his first champion, top two and three-year-old Summer Haze, in 1980. Childs went on to win a host of feature races in New Zealand over the decade, before moving to Melbourne in 1990.

Childs forged links with Tommy Hughes and Bart Cummings before spending part or full seasons in Hong Kong, where he won the 1993 Hong Kong International Cup on the Laurie Laxon-trained Romanee Conti, raced by the Vela brothers and the dam of Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal.

Back in Melbourne, Childs teamed with Adelaide trainer Leon Macdonald to take the Australian Guineas and, in Sydney, the AJC Derby on Gold Guru while also partnering several quality racehorses for the late Peter Hayes including Newmarket Handicap winner Isca and Australian Cup winner Istidaad.

In 1999, Childs commenced his association with grand mare Sunline. In the autumn, he rode Trevor McKee's budding champion twice for wins in the Kewney Stakes and Moonee Valley Oaks. They would go on to combine in a total of 33 races, winning 21 of them.

Together, Sunline and Childs won 10 Group 1 races, including two Cox Plates (1999, 2000), the 2000 Hong Kong International Mile and the 2002 Doncaster Handicap.

Northerly gave Childs a memorable spring in 2002, winning four races culminating with the Caulfield Cup, a race the jockey would win again in 2005 on Railings.

Racing has taken Childs away from his native New Zealand to six countries, one highlight being five wins in the United States during 1985 including victory aboard Opus at Hollywood Park.

Childs will 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.

Long-time friend Mike Moroney will provide Childs with two rides at Flemington, Butwaittheresmore and Papa. Ironically, Childs rode the trainer's first winner and now Moroney can return the favour by, perhaps, providing the jockey with his last winner.

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