Sir AP McCoy: 10 Years On

It’s Saturday 7th February 2015 – William Hill Super Saturday.

The great AP McCoy rides his 200th winner of the season aboard Mr Mole for Paul Nicholls in the William Hill Game Spirit Chase. A ride that will forever hold significance in AP’s career, as upon returning to the parade ring, he would announce his retirement from the saddle at the end of the 2014/2015 season.

Every season was a successful one for AP McCoy. With 20 Champion Jump Jockey titles under his belt and records continuing to accumulate, when do you decide enough is enough?

“I rode my fastest-ever hundredth winner, and I thought to myself – I’m actually getting better.” AP recalled about the year in which he would announce his retirement. While he was continuing to break records with each passing season, retirement was something that had been on AP’s mind for a while. “I knew for five years that I was retiring. I’d been lucky enough to be Champion Jump Jockey 15 years in a row, and I thought if I win five more, it will be 20, and that should be it.”

At the start of the 2014/15 season, with his 20th Champion Jump Jockey title in hand, AP knew this would be his final year. Only a handful of people knew of the news prior to the announcement, and he was initially unsure as whether to reveal it after his final race. However, conversations with long-time supporter and owner JP McManus settled it. “You can’t just rock up at the end of the season and say you’re retiring,” JP said, noting that racegoers would want the chance to watch AP ride again, one last time.

With 198 winners already secured, AP arrived at Newbury Racecourse’s William Hill Super Saturday aiming to reach 200 before making his announcement. His milestone win fittingly came aboard Mr Mole in the William Hill Game Spirit Chase, moments after claiming his 199th victory in the 1:15pm race for John Ferguson.

AP faced a tough choice between two horses in the William Hill Game Spirit Chase, made easier by a persuasive Paul Nicholls – “Mr Mole is ready to run for his life. I’m telling you now, if he’s ever going to win, it’ll be tomorrow.”

And win he did – marking the day that AP McCoy would announce his retirement to an unsuspecting crowd. While there was no set plan for when the announcement would come, family and friends knew the day was drawing near as AP edged closer to 200 wins.

With this in mind, agent Dave Roberts made a rare appearance at Newbury on William Hill Super Saturday to see the champion announce that the curtain was coming down. “He never used to come racing, so he actually hid – he didn’t want anyone to know he was there.” Until Mr Mole took the last, when Dave made a appearance along with family and long-time AP supporters.

Every win, every record broken, every trophy held aloft led to this moment. AP announced his retirement at the end of the season, stepping away from National Hunt racing and leaving behind an untouchable legacy. The emotional farewell was felt by all at Newbury Racecourse and viewers at home, but for AP, the significance of the day remains – “I actually get a bit emotional thinking about it now. This place has a special memory for me,” AP remarks, while looking across a parade ring which holds such memories.

While AP showed no signs of slowing, the plan was always to go out on a high – “God forbid someone beat me in my 21st year.” He wanted to leave no doubt about his capabilities in the saddle, speaking of an underlying fear that one day he wouldn’t be good enough, with the worry of people saying, “Why are you not retiring?” Yet, despite these doubts, AP shares in the same breath that he believes he’d be champion jockey if he were still in the saddle today – a claim that doesn’t seem all too far-fetched.