KEY POINTS:
If Greg Childs, who retires today, has just one photo on his walls at home to reflect on 30 years in racing, there's no prize for guessing it.
As he says himself with typical modesty, his association with great mare Sunline was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
That magical, almost mystical, association is almost always the difference between simple headlines and greatness.
"There have been a few of them in racing and they've all been critical," said Childs from Melbourne yesterday.
"You've had Gary Stewart and Bonecrusher, Maurice Campbell and Balmerino, Cyril Small and Vo Rogue, Jimmy Cassidy and Might And Power and Des Harris and La Mer.
"I'm extremely proud that when people think of Sunline they think of Greg Childs."
Greg Childs is different from a lot of topline jockeys - a decade or more from now he probably won't be in the top 10 jockeys you remember.
Perhaps because of his understated personality, he has never carried the charisma of a Damien Oliver or a Darren Beadman. Or even a Glen Boss or a Jim Cassidy.
Childs was always the quiet achiever.
Even much of his association with Sunline was largely unrecognised in terms of what he contributed.
He was never a flashy rider, but what he added to Sunline's success was considerable and the McKee stable knew it. With Childs, almost what you didn't see was often more important than what you did see.
Master Western Australian horseman Fred Kersley recognised it. He put Childs on the mighty Northerly and the pair were six from six when Sunline came along and Childs then committed to the New Zealand mare.
Greg Childs looked promising when he was first apprenticed in his native Taranaki, but no one guessed the heights he would reach.
The quiet approach masked his greatest asset - ambition.
He moved to Melbourne in 1990 and a month or so later finished third on Kiwi stayer Mr Brooker in the Melbourne Cup and was on his way in one of racing's most competitive environments.
Two Melbourne jockeys' premierships, two Caulfield Cups, two Cox Plates, a Scobie Breasley Medal and 72 career group ones is not a bad record.
But retirement had been weighing on his mind for a while.
"I thought about it earlier this year, but I wanted another group one so I rode through the Melbourne spring carnival.
"I gave myself the best chance, but it didn't happen."
Childs, 46, says there is an obvious time for every jockey to retire.
"I'm tired. I gave it 30 years at 110 per cent and I really want to move on.
"I reached all my goals and I'm looking forward to going in a different direction. It happens to all sportsmen and women."
One of those directions is aggisting horses on the 12ha property he and wife Diane own at Greenvale, on the airport side of Melbourne.
Childs also designs and markets Viper safety vests for riders.
It's appropriate that Childs will have his last race ride on the Mike Moroney-trained Papa in the final event at 7.30pm at Flemington today.
Childs rode the first winner Moroney produced in 1982, Bold Avon, when he was training at Matamata.
"I remember it well," said Melbourne-based Moroney yesterday, "it was the first horse I took to the races."
Moroney and Childs have had remarkable success through the years and each considers the other a friend - a bond that's difficult to maintain through 30 years of tough competition.
Childs is particularly pleased his parents Brian and Marcella will be on course to watch their son don silks for the last time.
"They were there to see my first ride and it's wonderful they can watch my last."
Childs retires wealthy and largely free from injury. A considerable part of that personal wealth was generated by Sunline.
Childs first took the mount on Sunline when she was eight wins into her magnificent career in 1999.
Her regular jockey Larry Cassidy was required in Sydney for a horse trained by John Hawkes, to whom he was contracted.
Childs won the A$500,000 Kewney Stakes and A$1 million Moonee Valley Oaks on the mare and Cassidy was back on to win the A$1 million Doncaster in the late autumn of that year and A$150,000 Warwick Stakes in the spring.
But Childs was back in the saddle for the 1999 Cox Plate.
In 30 subsequent career starts, Childs was never again off Sunline's back as she took on Australasia's best and took her winning ways to Hong Kong.
"She lifted my profile 10-fold and my bank balance by about the same," says Childs.
"It was wonderful being associated with such a professional team as Trevor and Stephen McKee.
"They placed her beautifully and we all ran it as hard, and for as long, as we could.
"There is no one race that stands out - all of the Sunline wins were special. The overall association is what will stick in my mind.
"It was a dream."
GREG CHILDS
* Born February 6, 1962.
* Married to Diane. Children Jordan (12) and Tayla (12).
* Began riding: April, 1978.
* Winners: 2100 (approx).
* First winner: Stormee, Hawera in August, 1978.
* Group one winners: 72 (37 in Australia).
* Major wins: 2 Cox Plates (Sunline 1999, 2000), 2 Caulfield Cups (Northerly 2002, Railings 2005), 2 Australian Cups (Northerly 2001, Istidaad 1999), Doncaster Handicap (Sunline 1999).
* Premierships: NZ apprentice 1978-79; Melbourne jockeys' title 1991-92, 1997-98.
