'It's the right moment' - Gold Cup winner Waley-Cohen to retire after National

Sam Waley-Cohen, one of the leading amateur riders of his generation, will bow out at the top after partnering Noble Yeats in Saturday's Randox Grand National.

Waley-Cohen became the first amateur since Jim Wilson in 1981 to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup when partnering Long Run, owned by his father Robert, to beat previous winners Denman and Kauto Star in an epic in 2011.

He also boasts a remarkable record over the Grand National fences, although the big one at Aintree has so far eluded him and he announced on Thursday that this year's race will be his last chance to win it before he retires.

"I think that might be my 40th time riding here and Saturday will be my last ride," Waley-Cohen told ITV after pulling up on Jett in Thursday's Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase. "I'm going to retire, hopefully in the Grand National.

"I've had such an amazing time. I'm 40 this year and I couldn't have imagined the days I've had and I'd love to do it at Aintree. The course has been so special to me, so it felt like this was the right moment."

Sam Waley-Cohen celebrates on Long Run after winning the 2011 Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The majority of his big-race wins have come in his father's brown and orange silks, including further success at the Cheltenham Festival with the likes of Liberthine and Rajdhani Express.

The same two horses also starred for the rider over the National fences at Aintree, with Liberthine winning the 2006 Topham and Rajdhani Express landing the same race in 2015.

Although he was out of luck on Thursday, Waley-Cohen has won the Foxhunters' at Aintree on three occasions, twice with Katarino (2005 and 2006) and more recently aboard Warne in 2014.

He also boasts a win in the Becher Chase, having partnered Oscar Time, who like Katarino was trained for his success at Aintree by the rider's dad, to win in 2014.

He added: "I've been so spoiled and so lucky and it's been great doing it with dad. We've been a real partnership. It's been wonderful, I've had some incredible days, more than I could ever have hoped to imagine.

Sam Waley-Cohen and his Aintree hero Oscar TimeCredit: Clive Rose

"We gave the trophy for the Foxhunters' in memory of my brother and it's a course I've had so much fun at, it felt like the right moment.

"I'm lucky to have a ride on Saturday and that's what's kept me going year after year, trying to turn up at Aintree and compete in the big races and the Grand National is the biggest of them all."

Unless 33-1 shot Noble Yeats wins on Saturday, Long Run will undoubtedly be the horse that Waley-Cohen will be remembered for. As well as their unforgettable Gold Cup triumph, the pair won two King Georges at Kempton together, as well as the Grade 1 Feltham at the same track. They also finished third in the 2012 and 2013 Gold Cups.

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"I'm going to miss it hugely but there are plenty of other things going on in life," said the rider, who has not given up hope of a fairy tale end on Saturday. "People don't believe he's got a chance because he's seven but if you take that away you have higher convictions so we'll see if he can break that hoodoo."

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