TRAINER Ferdy Murphy has paid tribute to Gee Armytage, who has announced her retirement from race riding. Armytage, Britain's most successful female jump jockey, has been forced to quit after breaking her back in a fall at Huntingdon 19 months ago.

Murphy was private trainer to owner Geoff Hubbard when Gee enjoyed her finest season in 1987. She bagged a Cheltenham and Aintree Festival double on the Murphy trained chaser Gee-A and also rode The Ellier to victory at Cheltenham.

"She was a bit like Frankie Dettori is at the moment," said Murphy. "She was good for racing at the time because it was going through a bit of a bad patch and she had a great smile on her face the whole time and the Press loved her.

"Horses responded to her - we would put her up on some old horses that would never pick up the bridle and they would jump like stags for her. Initially, I was disappointed she's had to quit but, thinking about it, I'm just glad she's got out in one piece."

Armytage, 31, partnered over 100 winners in her career after enjoying her first success aboard Applante at Southwell in 1982. She broke four vertebrae in her back when her mount Highland Flame fell at Huntingdon and had to have steel rods inserted.

She battled hard to try to regain full fitness but the Jockey Club chief medical consultant Dr Michael Turner could not pass her fit to race ride again.

Armytage is currently working for new trainer Hughie Morrison in Lambourn as well as Oliver Sherwood and hopes to continue her involvement in racing.

. Race sponsors Ladbrokes report strong support for Willie Muir's Alsahib for tomorrow's Ladbrokes Autumn Cup at Newmarket and have cut him to 14 to 1 from 20 to 1.