Sir Anthony Peter McCoy (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former National Hunt horse racing jockey. Based in Ireland and the UK, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a record 20 consecutive times, every year that he was a professional. McCoy recorded his first winner in 1992 at age 17. On 7 November 2013 he rode his 4,000th winner, riding Mountain Tunes to victory at

Towcester Towcester ( ) is an affluent market town in Northamptonshire, England. It currently lies in West Northamptonshire but was the former administrative headquarters of the South Northamptonshire district council. Towcester is one of the oldest ...

. Even in his first season riding in Britain, as an apprentice for trainer

Toby Balding Gerald Barnard Balding Jr. OBE (23 September 1936 – 25 September 2014), known as Toby Balding, was a British racehorse trainer, one of the few to have won the "big three" British jump races—the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and ...

, McCoy won the Conditional Jump Jockeys Title with a record 74 winners for a

conditional jockey A conditional jockey is an apprentice National Hunt racing jockey in Great Britain or Ireland under the age of 26 who has not won more than seventy-five races under rules or had not won that many races within the last six months. A conditional joc ...

. McCoy claimed his first Champion Jockey title in 1995/96 and went on to win it every year until his retirement in 2015. McCoy has won almost every big race there is to win. His most high-profile winners include the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a ...

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the onl ...

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of ...

and the

2010 Grand National The 2010 Grand National (officially known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 163rd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 10 April 2010. The main race wa ...

, riding

Don't Push It Don't Push It is a Grand National-winning thoroughbred racehorse in England. Debut Don't Push It began his career on 5 December 2004 at Warwick in a National Hunt flat race, finishing third. 2005–06 season His first full season began a ...

. He was named

BBC Sports Personality of the Year The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of just one, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. Several new awards have been i ...

in 2010, becoming the first jockey to win the award, and in December 2013 he was named

RTÉ Sports Person of the Year The RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award is the titular award of the RTÉ Sport, RTÉ Sports Awards ceremony, which takes place each December. The winner is the Irish sportsperson (from the island of Ireland) judged to have ach ...

. He was knighted in January 2016.

Career

McCoy rode his first winner of his career on the

Jim Bolger James Brendan Bolger ( ; born 31 May 1935) is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was born to an Irish immigrant family in Ōpunake, Taran ...

trained Legal Steps, in a flat race at

Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles (Roman Catholic parish), Thurles. The cathedral ch ...

racecourse in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, on 26 March 1992 at the age of 17. McCoy served as an apprentice at Jim Bolger's stable for the initial part of his career. Whilst riding work for Bolger one morning, McCoy suffered a nasty fall and broke his leg on the gallops. By the time McCoy recovered from his leg break, he had continued to grow taller and as a result it was decided that the best option was to become a jump jockey. Success in Ireland soon led to a move across the

Irish Sea The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...

, and he began riding in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1994. His first win in England came at

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

on 7 September 1994 riding the Gordon Edwards trained Chickabiddy to a length victory. In his first season in England, McCoy served as a conditional jockey for successful trainer

, which culminated in winning the Conditional Jump Jockeys Title in 1995. The following season he became champion jockey for the first time. McCoy had burst on the scene as a result of his first season riding in Britain and soon attracted the attention of leading trainer

Martin Pipe Martin Charles Pipe (born 29 May 1945), is an English former racehorse trainer credited with professionalising the British racehorse training industry, and as of 2021 the most successful trainer in British jump racing. The son of a West-Coun ...

and, then, upcoming Paul Nicholls. McCoy joined forces with powerful trainer Martin Pipe in 1997 and between them they proved to be an exceptionally strong partnership which dominated the sport. By the end of the decade McCoy had set a new

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

record for winners in a season (253), equaled the record of five winners at the 1998 Cheltenham Festival, and became the fastest jockey to reach the 100 winner mark in a season in 2001. He went on to beat the long-standing record of Gordon Richards for the total number of winners ridden in a season, which stood since 1947. McCoy has said he counts this as his biggest achievement, despite his multiple Champion Jockey titles and big race victories. He beat Richards' record of 269 winners in a season on Valfonic at

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...

on 2 April 2002. He achieved a new high of 289 winners, and on 27 August 2002, at

Uttoxeter Uttoxeter ( , ) is a market town in the East Staffordshire district in the county of Staffordshire, England. It is near to the Derbyshire county border. It is situated from Burton upon Trent, from Stafford, from Stoke-on-Trent, from De ...

, his victory on Mighty Montefalco meant he had surpassed

Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE (born 18 January 1964 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey. Racing career Dunwoody's race victories include the King George VI Chase ...

's all time jumps record and was now the leading jumps jockey. He became the first jump jockey to ride 2,500 winners when getting Kanpai up to score at

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...

on 3 October 2006. McCoy rode his 3000th winner at Plumpton on the Nicky Henderson trained

Restless D'Artaix Restless may refer to: *Psychomotor agitation, restlessness experienced as a result of certain medications or conditions Music * Restless Records Albums * ''Restless'' (Sara Evans album) and its title track, 2003 * ''Restless'' (Murray He ...

in the Tyser & Co Beginners' Chase on 9 February 2009. In spite of wins in the biggest races on the jumps racing calendar, including the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a ...

, and

, it was the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...

which had eluded McCoy. The nearest he had in the National were three third-place finishes, in

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

aboard

's Blowing Wind, and in

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

on Jonjo O'Neill's 5-1 joint favourite,

Clan Royal A clan is a group of people united by Consanguinity, actual or Fictive kinship, perceived kinship and Ancestry, descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous ...

, who was still traveling well when hampered by a loose horse cost any chance of victory. McCoy won the Grand National at the fifteenth attempt, on 10 April 2010 aboard

, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and owned by

J. P. McManus John Patrick McManus (born 10 March 1951) is an Irish businessman and racehorse owner. His career lasted from the 1980s to the 2010s. He was one of the biggest shareholders of Manchester United, until his stake was bought out by Malcolm Glazer ...

. In 2012, McCoy won his second Cheltenham Gold Cup on Synchronised, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and owned by JP McManus, 15 years after his first Gold Cup win on Mr Mulligan. McCoy's winning ride on Synchronised typified his career as a jockey. Synchronised appeared outpaced during the first half of the extended 3 mile contest, however, Synchronised stayed on powerfully up the famous Cheltenham hill to pass both former winner

Long Run In economics, the long-run is a theoretical concept in which all markets are in equilibrium, and all prices and quantities have fully adjusted and are in equilibrium. The long-run contrasts with the short-run, in which there are some constraints an ...

and The Giant Bolster to land blue riband event at the

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Rac ...

. During the 2012 Grand National, McCoy's mount Synchronised fell at

Becher's Brook Becher's Brook ( ) is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the and fence, as well as on four other occasions du ...

, the sixth fence on the first circuit. The horse suffered soft-tissue damage, but did not appear to have sustained serious injury. However, Synchronised continued running riderless, until attempting to jump the 11th fence where he fell and incurred a fracture of the tibia and fibula in his right-hind leg, which resulted in him being put down. McCoy made a delayed start to the 2013/2014 National Hunt season after breaking his ribs from a heavy fall on the Nicky Henderson trained Quantitativeeasing in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham's end of season April meeting. McCoy, who spent seven nights in hospital, returned to action a month later at

Ludlow Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The t ...

and immediately opened his account for the season on the JP McManus owned horse Church Field. He surpassed the 100 winner mark for the 2013/2014 season after riding a remarkable 5-timer at Carlisle racecourse in October, closely followed by 5 winners over the two-day Aintree October meeting. McCoy sealed his 4000th career win riding the Jonjo O'Neill trained

Mountain Tunes A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher th ...

, in the colours of owner JP McManus, to a hard-fought victory in the Weatherbys Novices' Hurdle at

on 7 November 2013. His mount, Mountain Tunes, looked to have little chance with two hurdles to jump yet McCoy managed to get up in the final strides to beat

Kris Spin The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...

ridden by Jamie Moore. On 30 November 2013, Tony McCoy had the choice to ride at Newbury, or

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...

. McCoy rode

My Tent Or Yours My Tent Or Yours (foaled 16 March 2007) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing and has finished second in three editions of the Champion Hurdle. In his first season, he showed promising form ...

to victory in the Grade One

Fighting Fifth Hurdle The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newcastle over a distance of about 2 miles and half a ...

at Newcastle, which eventually turned out to be a good decision as on the same day, At Fishers Cross flopped in the

Long Walk Hurdle The Long Walk Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (3 ...

at Newbury. McCoy reached the 150 winners landmark for the 2013/2014 season after riding a double at

Ffos Las racecourse The Ffos Las racecourse (''strictly'': Ffos Las Racecourse & Conference Centre) is a Welsh horse racing, equestrian sports and conferencing venue situated in Ffos Las, Wales. The Ffos Las racecourse was built at the site of an open cast coal min ...

on 16 December 2013. This was the 18th time, out of the 20 seasons riding in Britain, he has surpassed 150 winners for a season. At the end of the 2013/14 season, McCoy was crowned Champion jockey for the 19th consecutive time, further extending his record of title wins. On 10 June 2014, McCoy recorded his fastest ever half century of winners for a season after riding the

Rebecca Curtis Rebecca Curtis (born January 10, 1974) is an American writer. She is the author of ''Twenty Grand and Other Tales of Love & Money'' (HarperCollins, 2007) and has been published in The New Yorker, Harper's, McSweeney's, NOON, N+1, and other mag ...

trained Bob Keown to victory at

Worcester Racecourse Worcester Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the city of Worcester, Worcestershire, England.''British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny - Page 247 Horse racing has taken place here since at least 1718. I ...

. McCoy achieved the 50 winner mark for the 2014/15 National Hunt season, which started on 27 April 2014, in just 44 days. On 19 July 2014, McCoy reached a significant personal milestone by surpassing the total of 4,191 winners which friend and mentor

achieved as a licensed trainer before retirement in 2006. McCoy recorded winner number 4,192 by guiding the Jonjo O'Neill trained It's A Gimme to victory in the Betfred Summer Plate Listed Handicap Chase at

Market Rasen Racecourse Market Rasen Racecourse is a National Hunt racecourse in the town of Market Rasen, in Lincolnshire, England. The course is a right-handed oval with a circumference of around one-and-a-quarter miles. Although National Hunt racing is traditionally ...

. McCoy enjoyed a long period of success as stable jockey to the 15 time Champion Trainer Martin Pipe. McCoy broke his own record for the fastest ever century of winners for a National Hunt season, recording his 100th winner of the 2014/15 campaign on board the John Ferguson trained

Arabic History Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

Newton Abbot Racecourse Newton Abbot Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located on the north bank of the River Teign in the parishes of Kingsteignton and Teigngrace just north of Newton Abbot, Devon, England. The course is a tight, flat left-handed oval of ...

on 21 August 2014, 116 days into the season. McCoy's previous record, set during the 2001/2002 season, stood at 100 winners by 4 September, approximately 130 days into the season. McCoy announced live on Channel 4 after his win on

Mr Mole ''Mister'', usually written in its contracted form ''Mr.'' or ''Mr'', is a commonly used English honorific for men without a higher honorific, or professional title, or any of various designations of office. The title 'Mr' derived from earlier ...

in the Game Spirit Chase that he would retire at the end of the 2014/15 NH Season. It was his 200th win of the season, the ninth occasion on which he had reached that landmark, and he later clarified that it would be his last such achievement. His last ride as a professional was at the

Bet365 Gold Cup The Bet365 Gold Cup is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlong ...

meeting at Sandown in April 2015.

Trainer relationships and colours

McCoy was

retained In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a retained firefighter, also known as an RDS Firefighter or on-call firefighter, is a firefighter who does not work on a fire station full-time but is paid to spend long periods of time on call to respond to em ...

by Irish racehorse owner,

and therefore rode all of his horses in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

and occasionally

. McCoy joined forces with McManus in 2004 after reportedly being offered a £1 million a year retainer. McCoy had previously spent seven years as

's first jockey and many within racing were surprised of his decision to split from the successful Pipe stable. He has won a further 10 jockey titles since their separation. McManus has the majority of his horses in training with ex-jockey Jonjo O'Neill who trains at the state-of-the-art training facility "Jackdaws Castle" in

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...

, which is owned by McManus. McCoy often rode horses trained by Jonjo O'Neill in addition to those owned by McManus. When he was not required to ride for McManus or O'Neill, McCoy had struck up a number of links with leading national hunt trainers. He rode a number of horses for Welsh-based trainer Rebecca Curtis. He also linked up with powerful trainer

Nicky Henderson Nicholas John Henderson (born 10 December 1950) is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer six times. Background His father was Johnny Henderson who was one of the founders of the Racecourse Holdings Tru ...

when his first jockey

Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty (born 16 September 1979) is a retired Irish jockey. He is the second most successful jockey of all time at the Cheltenham Festival. Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997 and three years later he became the Irish Champio ...

was riding in Ireland. McCoy was most commonly associated with the green and gold hooped silks of McManus.

Sports Personality of the Year

McCoy was named 2010

and in doing so became the first jockey to win the award, polling ahead of darts player Phil Taylor and Olympic heptathlete

Jessica Ennis Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill (born 28 January 1986) is a British retired track and field athlete from England, specialising in multi-eventing disciplines and 100 metres hurdles. As a competitor in heptathlon, she is the 2012 Olympic champion, ...

, who finished second and third place respectively. McCoy's win in the 2010

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...

at his 15th attempt on board the Jonjo O'Neill trained

was seen to be the main contributing factor to his win. McCoy was made the bookmakers' favourite for the award after his Grand National victory, however there were concerns that those beyond the horse racing fraternity may not fully understand his incredible achievements in racing and subsequently decide to vote for other contenders from "mainstream" sports. He received 293,152 votes, which was more than former winners

Joe Calzaghe Joseph William Calzaghe ( ; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the unified WBA (Undisputed), WBC, IBF, WBO, ''Ring'' magazine ...

(2007), Sir

Chris Hoy Sir Christopher Andrew Hoy MBE (born 23 March 1976) is a former track cyclist and Racing driver from Scotland who represented Great Britain at the Olympic and World Championships and Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. Hoy is eleven-times a wor ...

(2008) or

Ryan Giggs Ryan Joseph Giggs (né Wilson; 29 November 1973) is a Welsh association football, football coach and former player. Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Giggs played his List of one-club men in association football, entir ...

(2009). He made the final shortlist of ten for

2013 after surpassing the landmark total of 4000 career winners over jumps during the course of the 2013/2014 National Hunt racing season. McCoy finished in third place behind the winner

Andy Murray Sir Andrew Barron Murray (born 15 May 1987) is a British professional tennis player from Scotland. He was ranked world No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 41 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 in 2016. Murray h ...

and runner up

Leigh Halfpenny Stephen Leigh Halfpenny (born 22 December 1988) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a fullback or wing for the Scarlets, Wales and the British & Irish Lions. Halfpenny is the third highest points scorer for Wales after Neil Jenkins and ...

. He was named 2013 RTÉ Irish Sports Personality of the Year on 21 December 2013.

Personal life

McCoy was born in

Moneyglass Moneyglass () is a hamlet and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Moneyglass is near Toome and Lough Beg. It had a population of 103 people (38 households) in the 2011 Census. (2001 Census: 90 people) People *Champion National Hunt jo ...

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...

. He and his wife Chanelle have two children. He stands 1.78 m (5'10"). To maintain a suitable racing weight, McCoy had to keep his weight down to . His natural weight, based on his physiology, should be about 75 kg (one and a half stone more). McCoy has released five volumes of his autobiography; ''Real McCoy: My Life So Far'' (1999), ''McCoy'' (2003), ''A.P. McCoy: My Autobiography'' (2011) and "Winner: My Racing Life" (2015). McCoy's debut novel, ''Taking the Fall'', was published in 2013. McCoy is an

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

fan. McCoy is a friend of Arsenal legend

Ray Parlour Raymond Parlour (born 7 March 1973) is an English former professional footballer and sports radio pundit for BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport. He was a midfielder from 1992 to 2007, and spent his career playing for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Hul ...

and played a part in the naming of a racehorse ''The Romford Pele'', in reference to Parlour's nickname during his playing days. McCoy has also got strong friendships with other footballers, including former Liverpool duo Steve McManaman and

Robbie Fowler Robert Bernard Fowler (born 9 April 1975) is an English football manager and former player, who most recently managed East Bengal in the Indian Super League. As a player, he was a striker, and is the eighth-highest goalscorer in the history ...

, who engaged him and Martin Pipe for

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

. In October 2013, it was announced that McCoy is to join BBC Radio 5 Live as a racing pundit every Friday evening on the " 5 Live Sport" programme hosted by Dan Walker. BBC head of radio sport Richard Burgess said: "This addition means our audiences will get a regular insight from one of the sport's greats." In 2017, his wife, Chanelle McCoy was unveiled as the new dragon in RTE's Dragons' Den, replacing former dragon Eamonn Quinn. "

Honours

Champion Jockey: 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015 Champion Conditional Jockey: 1994/95

Lester Award __NOTOC__ A Lester Award is one of a range of awards given to jockeys at an annual ceremony in Great Britain. The awards are named in honour of Lester Piggott, an eleven-time British flat racing Champion Jockey who won thirty British Classic Races ...

s: McCoy has been honoured with 20 Lester Awards during his riding career to date, the most of any jockey past or present. *Conditional Jockey of the Year: 1995 *Jump Jockey of the Year: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 *Jockey of the Year: 1997 ''(award discontinued after 1997)'' *Jump Ride of the Year: 2009 (for the winning ride on Wichita Lineman in the William Hill Trophy at the

on 10 March 2009), 2012 (for the winning ride on Synchronised in the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...

at the

on 16 March 2012) McCoy was appointed

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(MBE) in the 2003 Birthday Honours and

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours for his services to horse racing. In December 2010, McCoy was named Sportsman of the Year at the British Sports Awards in London, voted for by the

Sports Journalists' Association The Sports Journalists' Association (SJA) is an association for British sports journalists. It represents the British sports media on the British Olympic Association's press advisory committee and acts as a consultant to organizers of major events ...

. In 2010, McCoy won the 'Jump off the Sofa Moment' Award at the Jaguar Academy of Sport Annual Awards ceremony for his Grand National win. In December 2013, McCoy was officially awarded three

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

. He was presented with certificates to mark his record of 289 jump wins in the 2001/2002 season, the most Champion Jump Jockey titles (18) and the most career jump winners, 4022 as of 4 December 2013.

Knighthood

McCoy was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in the

2016 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2016 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

for services to horse racing.

Major Wins

Cheltenham Festival (31) * Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (3): ''Black Jack Ketchum'' (2006), ''Wichita Lineman'' (2007), ''At Fishers Cross'' (2013) * Arkle Challenge Trophy (3): ''Or Royal'' (1997), ''Champleve'' (1998), ''Well Chief'' (2004) *

Byrne Group Plate The Magners Plate Handicap Chase is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a d ...

(1): ''Majadou'' (1999) *

Cathcart Challenge Cup The Cathcart Challenge Cup was a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which was open to horses aged five years or older. It was run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,225 metres), and duri ...

(2): ''Cyfor Malta'' (1998), ''Royal Auclair'' (2002) *

Champion Bumper The Champion Bumper is a Grade 1 National Hunt flat race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four to six years. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and ½ ...

(1): ''Liberman'' (2003) *

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a ...

(3): ''

Make A Stand Make A Stand (21 March 1991 – 22 November 2019) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from 1993 to 2000, he ran thirty times, both on the flat and over hurdles, and won twelve races. His greatest success came in the 19 ...

'' (1997), '' Brave Inca'' (2006), '' Binocular'' (2010) *

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...

(2): '' Mr Mulligan'' (1997), '' Synchronised'' (2012) * County Hurdle (2): ''Blowing Wind'' (1998), ''Alderwood'' (2012) *

Festival Trophy Handicap Chase The Festival Trophy is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 mil ...

(1): ''Wichita Lineman'' (2009) *

JLT Novices' Chase The Golden Miller Novices' Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Turners Novices' Chase, is a Grade One National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the ...

(2): ''Noble Prince'' (2011), ''Taquin Du Seuil'' (2014) *

Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase The Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase, known for sponsorship purposes as the Paddy's Reward Club Novices' Handicap Chase, is a Listed National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years ...

(1): ''Reveillez'' (2006) *

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a ...

(3): ''Kibreet'' (1996), ''Edredon Bleu'' (1998), ''Alderwood'' (2013) *

Pertemps Final The Pertemps Final is a Grade Three National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 ...

(1): ''Unsinkable Boxer'' (1998) *

(1): ''Edredon Bleu'' (2000) *

RSA Chase The Brown Advisory Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of abou ...

(1): ''Albertas Run'' (2008) *

Ryanair Chase The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs ...

(3): ''Albertas Run'' (2010, 2011), ''Uxizandre'' (2015) * Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1): ''Hors La Loi III'' (1999) Major Nationals *

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...

(1): ''

'' (2010) *

Irish Grand National The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs (5,834 ...

(1): ''Butler's Cabin'' (2007) *

Midlands Grand National The Midlands Grand National is a Listed National Hunt race in Great Britain. It is a handicap steeplechase and is run at Uttoxeter Racecourse in March, over a distance of about 4 miles and 2 furlongs (4 ...

(1): ''Synchronised'' (2010) *

Scottish Grand National The Scottish Grand National is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ayr, Scotland, over a distance of about 4 miles (3 ...

(1): ''Belmont King'' (1997) *

Welsh National The Coral Welsh Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of about ...

(1): ''Synchronised'' (2010) Other Notable Races

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

Aintree Hurdle The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (), ...

(2): ''Pridwell'' (1998), ''Jezki'' (2015) *

Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle The Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years. It is ...

(3): ''Zabadi'' (1996), ''Hors La Loi III'' (1999), ''Binocular'' (2008) *

Ascot Chase The Ascot Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (2 miles, 5 fu ...

(2): ''Tresor de Mai'' (2002), ''Tiutchev'' (2003) *

(2): ''Bounce Back'' (2002), ''Hennessy'' (2009) *

Betfred Bowl The Betway Bowl is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (3 mi ...

(2): ''Tiutchev'' (2004), ''Exotic Dancer'' (2007) * Celebration Chase (3): ''Edredon Bleu'' (2001), ''Seebald'' (2003), ''French Opera'' (2011) * Challow Novices' Hurdle (6): ''Classified'' (2001), ''Coolnagorna'' (2002), ''Wichita Lineman'' (2006), ''Backspin'' (2010), ''Taquin Du Seuil'' (2012), ''Captain Cutter'' (2013) *

Champion Four Year Old Hurdle The Champion Four Year Old Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its run ...

(1): ''Shaunies Lady'' (1996) * Christmas Hurdle (5): ''Straw Bear'' (2006), ''Binocular'' (2010, 2011), ''Darlan'' (2012), ''My Tent Or Yours'' (2013) *

Feltham Novices' Chase The Kauto Star Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metr ...

(3): ''Gloria Victis'' (1999), ''Maximize'' (2001), ''Darkness'' (2005) *

(2): ''Straw Bear'' (2006), ''My Tent Or Yours'' (2013) *

Finale Juvenile Hurdle The Finale Juvenile Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged three years. It is run at Chepstow over a distance of about 2 miles (2 miles and 11 yards, ...

(2): ''Rainwatch'' (1997), ''Phar Bleu'' (2004) *

Henry VIII Novices' Chase The Henry VIII Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles ...

(3): ''Direct Route'' (1997), ''Dines'' (1998), ''Somersby'' (2009) * International Hurdle (2): ''Valiramix'' (2001), ''Binocular'' (2008) *

(1): ''

Best Mate Best Mate (28 January 1995 – 1 November 2005) was an Irish-bred, English-trained racehorse and three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was considered one of the most loved horses in the history of horse racing in the UK, with hi ...

'' (2002) *

Lexus Chase The Savills Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and ...

(2): ''Exotic Dancer'' (2008), ''Synchronised'' (2011) * Liverpool Hurdle (2): ''Galant Moss'' (1999), ''Deano's Beeno'' (2003) *

(3): ''Deano's Beeno'' (2002), ''Big Buck's'' (2010, 2011) *

Maghull Novices' Chase The Maghull Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile 7 ...

(2): ''Well Chief'' (2004), ''Foreman'' (2006) *

Manifesto Novices' Chase The Manifesto Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree Racecourse, Ain ...

(1): ''Uxizandre'' (2014) *

Melling Chase The Melling Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Marsh Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ain ...

(3): ''Viking Flagship'' (1996), ''Albertas Run'' (2010), ''Don Cossack'' (2015) *

Mersey Novices' Hurdle The Mersey Novices' Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree, Merseyside, over a distance of about 2 mil ...

(2): ''Classified'' (2002), ''Lac Fontana'' (2014) *

Mildmay Novices' Chase The Mildmay Novices' Chase is a Grade One National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Mildmay course at Aintree over a distance of about 3 m ...

(3): ''Boss Doyle'' (1998), ''Like-a-Butterfly'' (2005), ''Holywell'' (2014) *

Paddy Power Gold Cup The Paddy Power Gold Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of ...

(4): ''Cyfor Malta'' (1998), ''Lady Cricket'' (2000), '' Shooting Light'' (2001), ''Exotic Dancer'' (2007) * Scilly Isles Novices' Chase (3): ''Upgrade'' (2000), ''Tarxien'' (2003), ''Napolitain'' (2006) *

Sefton Novices' Hurdle The Sefton Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and half ...

(3): ''Unsinkable Boxer'' (1998), ''Black Jack Ketchum'' (2006), ''At Fishers Cross'' (2013) *

Tingle Creek Chase The Tingle Creek Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mil ...

(1): ''Master Minded'' (2008) * Tolworth Hurdle (2): ''Iznogoud'' (2001), ''Royal Boy'' (2014) *

Victor Chandler Chase The Clarence House Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 ...

(2): ''Nordance Prince'' (2000), ''

Master Minded {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Master Minded , image_name = Master Minded.jpg , caption = Master Minded at Sandown in 2011. , sire = Nikos , grandsire = Nonoalco , dam = Haute Tension , damsire = Garde Royale , sex = Gelding , foaled ...

'' (2011) Ireland *

December Festival Hurdle The December Festival Hurdle, currently known by its sponsored title of the Matheson Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is ...

(1): ''Brave Inca'' (2005) * Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle (4): ''His Song'' (1998), ''Jered'' (2008), ''Shot From The Hip'' (2011), ''Alderwood'' (2012) *

Fort Leney Novice Chase The Fort Leney Novice Chase, currently ran as the Neville Hotels Novice Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland. It is run over a distance of 3 miles (4,828 metres) at Leopardstown and during its runni ...

(2): ''Boss Doyle'' (1997), ''Carlingford Lough'' (2013) * Galway Hurdle (2): ''Toast the Spreece'' (1997), ''Thomas Edison'' (2014) * Galway Plate (2): ''Finger Onthe Pulse'' (2010), ''Carlingford Lough'' (2013) *

Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle The Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt novice hurdle race in Ireland which is for horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles and 6 furlongs (4, ...

(2): ''Monifeth Man '' (2000), ''Washington Lad '' (2005) *

Growise Champion Novice Chase The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 3 miles and ½ furlo ...

(2): ''Kempes'' (2010), ''Carlingford Lough'' (2014) *

Hatton's Grace Hurdle The Hatton's Grace Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 ...

(2): ''Brave Inca'' (2006), ''Jezki'' (2013) *

Hennessy Gold Cup (Ireland) The Irish Gold Cup (Irish language, Irish: Corn Óir na hÉireann) is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase in Ireland which is open to Horse racing, ...

(1): ''Carlingford Lough'' (2015) *

Irish Champion Hurdle The Irish Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and du ...

(1): '' Brave Inca'' (2006) *

Morgiana Hurdle The Morgiana Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong ...

(1): ''Brave Inca'' (2005) *

Powers Gold Cup The Boylesports Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 ...

(3): ''Like-a-Butterfly'' (2005), ''Justified'' (2006), ''Gilgamboa'' (2015) *

Punchestown Champion Hurdle The Punchestown Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during ...

(2): ''Brave Inca'' (2005), ''Jezki'' (2014) *

Ryanair Novice Chase The Barberstown Castle Novice Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt Steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and d ...

(1): ''Captain Cee Bee'' (2010) *

World Series Hurdle The Champion Stayers Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and during its ...

(2): ''Derrymoyle'' (1998), ''Refinement'' (2007) *

(1) : ''Shaunies Lady'' (1996)

Winning Milestones

*1,000th winner: ''Majadou'',

, 11 December 1999 *1,500th winner: ''Celtic Native'',

, 20 December 2001 *2,000th winner: ''Magical Bailiwick'',

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a small town and electoral ward in South Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. The town and electoral ward has a populati ...

, 17 January 2004 *2,500th winner: ''Kanpai'',

, 3 October 2006 *3,000th winner: ''Restless D'Artaix'', Plumpton, 9 February 2009 *4,000th winner: ''Mountain Tunes'',

, 7 November 2013

Total National Hunt Winners in Britain by Season

* 1994/95 74 * 1995/96 175 * 1996/97 190 * 1997/98 253 * 1998/99 186 * 1999/00 245 * 2000/01 191 * 2001/02 289 † * 2002/03 258 * 2003/04 209 * 2004/05 200 * 2005/06 178 * 2006/07 184 * 2007/08 140 * 2008/09 186 * 2009/10 195 * 2010/11 218 * 2011/12 199 * 2012/13 185 * 2013/14 218 * 2014/15 231 † A British Horse Racing record for most winners ridden in a season by a jockey (flat or jumps), beating Sir Gordon Richards' long-standing record of 269 winners set in 1947

Total National Hunt winners in Ireland by Season (144)

* 1993-94 3 * 1994-95 4 * 1995-96 7 * 1996-97 2 * 1997-98 8 * 1998-99 4 * 1999-00 7 * 2000-01 0 * 2001-02 1 * 2002-03 0 * 2003-04 0 * 2004-05 13 * 2005-06 22 * 2006-07 7 * 2007-08 8 * 2008-09 5 * 2009-10 6 * 2010-11 6 * 2011-12 12 * 2012-13 8 * 2013-14 11 * 2014-15 10

References

Reference groups

External links

Collected news and articles
at the ''Guardian''
''Times Online'' report on McCoyRacingbase.com People: Tony McCoyRacing Post StatisticsSporting Life Statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCoy, Tony 1974 births Living people BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners RTÉ Sports Person of the Year winners Autobiographers from Northern Ireland British Champion jumps jockeys Lester Award winners Male novelists from Northern Ireland Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from County Antrim Knights Bachelor People in sports awarded knighthoods Jockeys from Northern Ireland BBC Sports Personality Lifetime Achievement Award recipients

Career

Trainer relationships and colours

Sports Personality of the Year

Personal life

Honours

Knighthood

Major Wins

Winning Milestones

Total National Hunt Winners in Britain by Season

Total National Hunt winners in Ireland by Season (144)

See also

References

External links