Mark Dwyer, the dual Gold Cup-winning jockey, has announced his retirement from the saddle after a year on the sidelines.

The 34-year-old Irishman, who partnered more than 800 winners, suffered a compound fracture of his left elbow in a fall at Kelso last December and, despite two operations, his arm is still not 100%.

Dwyer met Dr Michael Turner, the Jockey Club's chief medical adviser, yesterday and said: ''Basically, I am fit enough to ride but not fit enough to fall. You cannot carry on like that. Dr Turner said that to put the arm under threat again would be inadvisable.

''I had always hoped the arm would improve more than it has. The good thing is, it doesn't stop me doing anything in day-to-day life, which is the most important thing.

''I suppose I am sad that it has come to this. But I have been riding for 20 years and all good things must come to an end.''

Dwyer, who has a thriving livery yard near Malton, quashed suggestions that he would turn his hand to training. ''Training is not a consideration at the moment. I have been buying and selling horses for some time, so I will elaborate on that.''

Dwyer, who rode his first winner in 1979, went on to become a leading apprentice on the Flat in Ireland under the eye of trainer Liam Browne, before increasing weight forced him to turn to jumping.

He joined Jimmy FitzGerald at Malton in 1982 and rode Forgive 'N Forget to victory for the trainer in the Coral Hurdle Final at Cheltenham the following year.

In 1985, at the age of 21, Dwyer won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the same horse, and added another Gold Cup in 1993 on the Peter Beaumont-trained Jodami, on whom he also won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown three times.

Dwyer's long list of big race victories also includes the 1994 Champion Hurdle on Flakey Dove, and two Scottish Nationals on Androma in 1984 and 1985.

Jimmy FitzGerald yesterday paid tribute to the jockey: ''We had 13 seasons together and not two rows in 13 years. He was a great man, a great judge and a great rider and as straight as a die - a gentleman to work with.''

Trainer and former weighing-room colleague Jonjo O'Neill said: ''He was a great big-race jockey and a good mate. I rode with him and he rode for me. He was very, very cool and always gave horses a good spin.''

Malton trainer Maurice Camacho added: ''At least he's retired with all his faculties intact - his brains have not been scrambled with riding and he has a good business - he's no fool.''