Dual Grand National hero Leighton Aspell to quit saddle after Fontwell on Sunday

Leighton Aspell, who carved his name into jump racing folklore with back-to-back Grand National wins on Pineau De Re and Many Clouds, will call time on his splendid career on Sunday – and joked this time it was for good.

That reference related to Aspell's first retirement in 2007 before he returned two years later for a second and compelling chapter when he penned the highest of highs on the Richard Newland-trained Pineau De Re at Aintree in 2014.

Things got even better 12 months later when the rider steered the popular Many Clouds – his horse of a lifetime and trained by his great modern-day ally Oliver Sherwood – to victory in the sport's biggest event.

He also won the 2014 Hennessy on Many Clouds and will sign off after two mounts at Fontwell on Sunday.

The 43-year-old, who announced his decision after riding in Kempton's big handicap chase on Saturday, said: "This is for definite now!

Pineau De Re and Leighton Aspell after their Grand National triumph in 2014Credit: Grossick Racing

"I've had a brilliant second innings with the Hennessy and two Nationals.

"Retirement has been something that has been on my mind for a while. I could have retired at the end of the season, but when the entries came out for this week and I saw it was Fontwell on the Sunday – a local track – I thought I'd do it then.

"The highlight of my career would be the Nationals, but also riding for so many great people. Oliver, Lucy Wadham, Josh Gifford, Nick Gifford; I've been really lucky.

"I'm very proud to do it for as long as I have and it's not for medical reasons or a lack of rides. I'm still going out on a relative high."

The widely admired Aspell, who was "luckyish" with injuries, added: "We were just mucking about in the weighing room and someone said I had a few more years left and I said, 'Funnily enough, I haven't – it'll come to an end tomorrow'.

"They thought I was joking because I'd done it once before, but hopefully I can do some line of work that allows me to stay close to the guys in the weighing room."

Among the most sympathetic horsemen in the weighing room, Aspell moved to Britain from Ireland in the 1990s and had a spell at Reg Hollinshead's fame jockey academy.

He enjoyed a handful of Graded victories and secured his sole top-level win when United struck in Punchestown's juvenile Grade 1 in 2005.

Finest hour: Leighton Aspell wins his second Grand National aboard Many CloudsCredit: Edward Whitaker

A short-lived retirement then followed and Aspell, striking an emotional tone, recalled: "I went through a bit of a lull, a quiet time.

"The summer is always a quiet time and I thought it was time to do something else, but after that time off I realised how much I'd made a wrong decision. I was lucky enough to step back into it and ride a lot more winners.

"The second half of my career has been fantastic and I've enjoyed it. The more experience you have, the more free rein you have and that's been a joy – to have that relationship with the trainers."

Reflecting on the horse closest to his heart, he continued: "Clouds was the best I rode. I was on him for all of his races and he was a joy to ride. It was only when he was gone you realise how few and far between those horses are.

"He died in 2017, but I still had some good horses to ride and I was very happy to continue then. The time has come now to move on though."

Set to "die a Cheltenham Festival virgin", Aspell will not rush into his next move, but intends to stay within the sport.

"I'll take some time and then try to work something out," he said. "I'll do some pre-training, but I'm very interested in handicapping, race-reading, form analysis and I'd be very interested in a job along those lines."

Champion jockey Richard Johnson was quick to pay tribute to Aspell and said on ITV Racing: "He was very tough to ride against.

"Me and Leighton have been riding together for a long, long time and Leighton's one of those jockeys who's always in the right place. You know if you're following him it's hard to get by him but if he's behind you you're always worried he's going to come by as well.

"It's a shame for us to lose Leighton as a jockey and a friend in the weighing room but he's had a fantastic career and a lot to be very proud of."

Read The Lowdown from 8.00am daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post app for all the day's going updates, news and tips