JUST three wards ended 35 years in the saddle for five-time champion jockey Willie Carson yesterday. "I'm an ex-jockey" the 54-year-old announced yesterday, confirming reports that the man who won the Derby four times has given up his fight for fitness.

The Scot's retirement has been speculated upon ever since an horrific accident at Newbury last September when a kick from Meshhed in the paddock sent him flying and left him with life-threatening liver injuries.

After a spell in intensive care Britain's fourth most successful jockey in racing history embarked on a programme of gym-work designed to get him fit for the start of the turf season later this month.

But he admitted yesterday: "I'm an ex-jockey and obviously I feel disappointed. I made the final decision on Saturday. I'm not in pain but I am getting old and my body is wearing out for a jockey that is, not an ordinary person.

"I don't know what I'll do now. Perhaps one of all these phone calls I've had today will offer to make me a millionaire! Life changes life is never the same. I'll have to see what happens."

Carson has been at the top of his profession ever since his success on High Top in the 2,000 Guineas 25 years ago. He won a total of 17 British Classics, including the Derby on Troy (in 1979), Henbit (1980), Nashwan (1989) and Erhaab (1994).

He also became the first man to win a Classic on a horse he bred himself when Minster Son took the St Leger in 1988.

"There have been so many highlights and a lot of lows but I am happy how things turned out," Carson said.

The Scot refused to single out one highlight from a career which saw his gaining his first success on Pinkers Pond at Catterick in 1962. "There were so many good horses," he said.

"Winning my first Derby on Troy was a big thrill, as was winning the Oaks and St Leger on Dunlermline for the Queen in Jubilee year.

"There was Monkey Partner who was my first big winner at Ripon many years ago and Nashwan winning the Guineas.

"And Minster Son, who I bred and named after the stud, winning the St Leger was history - lovely, fairytale stuff.

"If I could go back to how I was thinking when I first started I would feel highly delighted with what I have done I would never have imagined it.

Carson began his apprenticeship in 1959 with George Armstrong on whose retirement he moved to brother Sam. He then had spells with Bernard van Cutsem, Barry Hills, Clive Brittain before joining Dick Hern in 1977.

"I must pay tribute to so many people who have helped my career," he said.

"There's the Armstrongs, Bernard van Cutsem who made me believe in myself, Dick Hern, John Dunlop and of course Hamdan Al Maktoum who gave me all those good horses to ride over the last eight years.

Carsons retirement means he will miss the chance for further Classic success on his former mount Bahhare, ante-post favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and officially rated Europe's second best two-year-old of last season behind Revoque.

"I hope he wins the Guineas and I will still be cheering for him," he said.

"I do think he will be better than Revoque this year because that horse looked very mature last season while Bahhare wasn't; he'll strengthen up and be a better horse this year."

The Scot spent longer at the top than any other modern-day jockey bar his great rival Lester Piggott.

Having ridden his first winner in 1962 at the age of 19, he maintained his enthusiasm well into his 50s and reached a seasonal century of winners for the 23rd time in 25 years in 1995.

Five times champion jockey, at 47 he became only the fourth British rider to reach 3,000 career winners in 1990.