End of an era for jockey Brian Harding at Perth

One of the most modest and hard-working members of National Hunt racing, for once all eyes will be on the 44-year-old as it will mark the end of a career spanning 25 years in the saddle.

Although showing no signs of his ability deteriorating, with the Cumbria-based rider still as strong at the finish as those half his age, the decision to call it a day was one that in his own eyes was the right one.

Harding said: "It had to happen some time. I have been doing it a long time and I will be 45 in September. The last three years have been some of the best of my life, but I made the decision at the start of the year that this year would be the last one.

"I would rather go like this while things are still going pretty well and while I still love and enjoy it very much.

"I would rather stop on my terms and work towards the future. It is quite sad, but it had to happen. I am glad in some ways as I've had a full year knowing it is going to happen.

"As it is gets closer to the time of that last race I am sure it will be tougher. If I go out on a winner that would be great, but I am sure that will be hard."

Harding will be forever remembered for giving One Man, trained by the late Gordon Richards, his moment of glory at the Cheltenham Festival in the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase, with the hugely popular grey having previously failed in two Gold Cups and a Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

John Hales, owner of One Man said: "I remember getting a phone call the evening before the Queen Mother. It was Gordon telling me that Tony Dobbin was injured and couldn't ride.

"He asked me what I was thinking and I asked if he had any suggestions.

"When I asked him who he was thinking of he didn't hesitate and said that Brian should ride him, he knew the horse and in his mind it made sense. I had no problem going along with it.

"On the day Brian gave him a brilliant ride, he bounced him out and it was such a great day. My daughter Lisa was in no doubt the Queen Mother was the race for him, I wasn't so sure, but it clearly was.

"What I remember from the day is after the race Lord Vesty brought the Queen Mother down to see him, but he was still full of himself, pushing everyone around and there was the Queen Mother, just inches from him, but thankfully he gave everyone else a nudge bar her!"

Although One Man is a moment Harding will never forget, there are plenty of other memories he can look back at with great fondness since riding his first winner over jumps aboard Palm House at Kelso in October 1992.

He said: "I was lucky to sit on a horse like One Man. It was a great day out. I was not supposed to ride him, but with Dobs getting hurt I got the ride. Those are the sorts of days you dream of.

"Granit D'Estruval winning the Irish Grand National, that is a moment right up there. That was a great day.

"The French Furze is a horse I loved. He was a good little horse that I managed to win the Fighting Fifth on.

"The last couple of years I've had Simply Ned. While he has not won a big race he has been placed in some good races."

Despite his time in the saddle now coming to an end it is very much a case of one chapter closing and another opening for Harding.

He said: "It's going to be different. I will still be involved in racing as I will be doing my jockey coaching and I have 15 or 16 on the books so I will still be involved through them.

"I will be doing my pre-training and breaking them in with my girlfriend Kelly and I will be working hard to get that up and running.

"I've been doing that every summer for a good few years at Nicky Richards' yard. I get a lot of pleasure out of doing that."

While the fanfare that greeted Sir Anthony McCoy in the build up to his final ride aboard Box Office two years ago may have been missing for Harding, there have been plenty in racing paying tribute to the County Cork-born rider, the most notable being Greystoke handler Richards.

He said: "He has been a great man for Greystoke and a great man for northern racing.

"He really is a shining light for young up and coming jockeys. He is a great example of what professionalism and dedication is needed if you want to be successful.

"Watching him win the Champion Chase on One Man was a fantastic day. The old horse really proved he was a champion that day and it was great that Brian was on him.

"He won the Fighting Fifth on The French Furze which was another great day.

"In the weighing room he will be a massive loss and I am sure there will be a funny feeling in there that he is no longer part of it.

"He is going to be sadly missed here, but we have to look back fondly on his career.

"No doubt there will be a little party at the yard along the way as he is great pals with all the staff, but we will let the dust settle and get tomorrow out the way first."