AP McCoy who retired at the end of last season, made a comeback on the flat today to record a win on his last ride as a professional on GANNICUS for Brendan Powell.
20-times champion jump jockey A P McCoy’s final ever ride proved to be a winning one as he steered Gannicus (7/2 favourite) to a two-length victory in the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Stakes. McCoy showed how sorely he is missed in the saddle since retiring in April by moving stylishly into the lead with two furlongs to go before keeping the four-year-old up to his work in the final furlong.
McCoy said: “Everything went to plan and we won so it was great. It was grand. He travelled very well and I got a good position on him and he kept on finding for me. He has run over at least a mile and a quarter, so there was a good chance he was going to stay.”
The jockey was quick to pay tribute to Jack Berry and the Injured Jockeys Fund. He added: “Look this is for a great cause, fair play to Jack Berry for asking me to ride as that is why I did it. He has raised a lot of money and done a lot of hardwork for the Injured Jockeys Fund. This victory is for the Injured Jockeys Fund but also for Jack Berry.”
Trainer Brendan Powell was ecstatic to have provided McCoy with the winner. Powell said: “It is unreal. A P has now ridden 46 winners for me. The horse won the other week at Brighton, but that was only in a five-runner race, so you just wonder whether he’ll be able to handle a race like this but it couldn’t have gone any better.
“He only won by a short-head last time and I thought the handicapper would put him up more. However, he only stuck him up 1lb to 70 so this was the only horse I could run in the race as it is a 0-70 classified so we were lucky that he was just able to get in here. I was just hoping something wouldn’t come and nab him but when A P gets to the front, it is hard to get by him.
“They probably got there too soon but I said to A P that when he gets in front, he just does enough but actually when he got to the front today, A P gave him a crack that made his mind up and he kept on finding.
“Me and A P go back a long way so it’s nice. That gave me a real thrill and for that to be A P’s last ride it is brilliant. I gave A P one of his last rides at Ayr on Scottish National day and that horse disappointed so fair play to this horse for doing it. It has worked out great and more than anything for Jack Berry’s charity. You couldn’t have asked for a better result.”
£10,000 total prize fund. For 3yo+, rated 0-70, 1m (str). Weights: 3yo 11st; 4yo+ 11st 5lb. Penalties after August 29th, a winner 6lb. Penalty value 1st £6,469.00 2nd £1,925.00 3rd £962.00 4th £481.00
1) GANNICUS (Winterbeck Manor Stud) Brendan Powell tp4-11-05 A P McCoy [7] 7/2f
2) NEXT STOP (S Hussey) David Nicholls 4-11-05 Billy Newnes [19] 16/1
3) BIG STORM COMING (Fishlake Commercial Motors) Ruth Carr 5-11-05 Luke Harvey [10] 20/1
4) SWORDBEARER (Catherine Wills) James Fanshawe 4-11-05 Gay Kelleway [3] 9/1
5) DARK AVENGER (USA) (Michael Buckley) Jamie Osborne 3-11-00 Jimmy McCarthy [16]
6) RELIGHT MY FIRE (Jonathan Gill) Tim Easterby 5-11-05 Kelly Harrison [5]
7) FIDELMA MOON (IRE) (The Mount Racing Club) Karl Burke 3-11-00 Kevin Darley [6]
8) CLIFF (IRE) (W Burton) Nigel Tinkler 5-11-05 Kim Tinkler [12]
9) LONGSIDE (Park Lodge Racing) James Eustace 3-11-00 Willie Supple [2]
10) PIVOTMAN (Wreglesworth) Mick Easterby tb7-11-05 Ollie Pears [13]
11) COMMISSAR (S Hassiakos) Ian Williams tp6-11-05 Johnny Murtagh [4]
12) WORDISMYBOND (T Wellard & Partners) Peter Makin 6-11-05 Jim Culloty [14]
13) REGAL WAYS (IRE) (S Counsell) Mark Johnston 3-11-00 Dale Gibson [8]
14) BEST TAMAYUZ (Paul Dixon & Partners) Scott Dixon h4-11-05 Gary Bardwell [15]
15) GEORGE BAKER (IRE) (George Baker & Partners) George Baker 8-11-05 Michael Hills [9]
16) LOTHAIR (IRE) (Mrs J Porter) Alan Swinbank 6-11-05 Rodney Lappin [11]
16 ran
Time: 1m 39.17s
Distances: 2, hd, 1½, 1½, ¾, 3¾, 3½, 10, ½, 1¼, 5, 2¾, 1½, ½, 12
Breeder: Winterbeck Manor Stud
Breeding: b g Phoenix Reach (IRE) – Rasmani (Medicean)
Tote Win £3.90 Place £1.50 £5.30 £6.30 Exacta £83.80
A P McCOY
Born: May 4, 1974 Background: Record-breaking 20-time champion Jump jockey. Rode 4,357 winners (including nine on the Flat) before today – now 4,358 (including 10 on the Flat). McCoy broke Peter Scudamore’s record of 221 Jump wins with 253 successes in the 1997/78 season. In 2001/02, he surpassed by 20 the previous record of 269 winners in any season set by Sir Gordon Richards on the Flat. He became the most successful Jump jockey of all time when passing Richard Dunwoody’s tally of 1,699 winners in August, 2002. In April, 2004, he accepted a retainer from J P McManus and rode for the owner, whose principal trainer in Britain is Jonjo O’Neill, until his retirement. McCoy was awarded an MBE in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours and an OBE in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010 – the only person in racing to achieve this feat. He equalled and passed former trainer Martin Pipe’s win total of 4,191 in July, 2014. Retired April 25, 2015 when gaining his 20th successive Jump jockey title. First Winner: Legal Steps – Thurles, Ireland, March 26, 1992. First winner in Britain: Exeter, Chickabiddy, September 7, 1994.
1,000th Jumping Win: Majadou, Cheltenham, December 11, 1999.
2,000th Jumping Win: Corporate Player, Wincanton, January 17, 2004.
3,000th Jumping Win: Restless D’Artaix, Plumpton, February 9, 2009.
4,000th Jumping Win: Mountain Tunes, Towcester, November 7, 2013.
Big Race Wins Include: Champion Chase (2000 Edredon Bleu), Champion Hurdle (1997 Make A Stand, 2006 Brave Inca, 2010 Binocular), Gold Cup (1997 Mr Mulligan, 2012 Synchronised), Grand National (2010 Don’t Push It)
