Graham Bradley rode into the winner's enclosure at Haydock Park on Saturday and immediately announced his retirement from the saddle. The 39-year-old jockey showed all his style and polish to guide Ontheboil to a comfortable five-length success in the Kay Ell Jay Novices' Handicap Chase.

On dismounting he said: "That's it I've retired. I can't go on forever and that was a nice way to finish. I've enjoyed every single minute of it - fabulous."

Bradley, seldom out of the headlines since he rode his first winner, Talon, to victory at Sedgefield in March, 1980, had been arrested in January this year by police investigating allegations of race-fixing and horse doping.

In April he was charged with conspiracy to cheat and had his licence withdrawn by the Jockey Club. However, in June he was told that all charges against him had been dropped and he was free to reapply for his riding licence.

And ever since Bradley has vowed to go out on a winning note. "I didn't want the Jockey Club, the police or the Press to finish it for me I wanted to do it myself," a relieved Bradley said.

"It's very sad it's over. I'll miss the horses, the people I ride for, the valets and the other `jocks' but I couldn't do it forever. If Charlie Brooks had continued training or Andrew Cohen hadn't sold his horses it might have been different because I've always gone for quality rather than quantity."

When asked about the last 12 months he replied: "It's been a terrible year but I've had great support from my fiancΘe Amanda Wilson, from my friends and jockeys."

Bradley has enjoyed many memorable moments and listed wins on Collier Bay (Champion Hurdle), Morley Street (Aintree Hurdle) and Wayward Lad (King George VI Chase) as some of the finest.

He said: "But the best must have been on Bregawn in the 1983 Gold Cup. I won the Hennessy on him but the Gold Cup was special."