A brilliant jockey who set standards

Richard Dunwoody, who retired yesterday as the most successful jump jockey of all time, was paid handsome tributes by some of racing's greats.

Tony McCoy, who has emerged as the major threat to Dunwoody's remarkable records, was one of the first to pay tribute to his career.

Dunwoody (35) has been forced to call it a day because of an arm injury sustained in August. He said yesterday: "It is with regret that due to medical advice I am to retire from race-riding, a neck injury sustained at C5-C6 has led to loss of strength in my right arm.

"I have since received advice from some of the top neurosurgeons, orthopaedics and physios in England, America and Ireland. They are unanimous that any further falls could cause more serious harm as there is also cyst/lesion in the spinal cord at this level."

A shocked McCoy said: "I think it is a very sad day for racing, there are no words to describe how good a jockey he was - and he is a very nice person.

"I am gutted really, I have always looked up to him as the best and a brilliant jockey who set the standards for young jockeys - and I think he has done more for racing than any other jockey in the past."

Dunwoody enjoyed a very successful partnership with trainer David Nicholson who said: "He is one of the nicest people I have ever worked with, a thorough gentleman and a pleasure to go anywhere with - he was a great rider."

Nicholson, who retired from training last month, went on: "He has been a great credit to his profession and we have had some great moments together - we had 40 winners at Cheltenham, my local track, and that tells its own story."

Dunwoody later joined Martin Pipe and started another very successful association. The latter explained: "Richard was a great jockey, a true professional and he rode some brilliant races for us. He won the Grand National for us on Miinnehoma and a Whitbread on Cache Fleur in which he got down to his minimum weight. I think he was champion twice when he was with us, he has been a great professional and will be sorely missed."

Peter Scudamore, who also had a very rewarding time with the Pipe team, said: "He was a great horseman, very dedicated and very tough. That dedication to succeed was one of his greatest qualities, it got him on good horses and it would just snowball and he would then get on more good horses."

Asked as to which horses have stood out the most in his career, Dunwoody replied: "Certainly Miinnehoma in the Grand National in `94 does stand out. It was great to be a part of the Desert Orchid team, and I had some great days on him in Ireland and also on him at Kempton when he won the King George."