AP McCoy retirement: Jockey's career in pictures
- Published
Anthony Peter McCoy: The 20-time champion jockey. As he retires after two decades at the top, we look at the Northern Irishman's career in photos and statistics - the injuries, the highs, the lows, friends, trophies and famous faces
Fall guy: With an average of one fall in every 16 rides, jump racing is a dangerous sport. McCoy is renowned for his ability to handle pain. In November 2012, he passed a fitness test to ride at Ascot despite having 20 stitches in his face, two broken teeth and a patchwork of plasters on his nose and lip
Bouncing back: McCoy defied the doctors with his ability to return from injuries. He started the 2013-14 season nearly three weeks late after suffering punctured lungs and broken ribs in a fall at Cheltenham in April. He began the campaign 16 winners behind then title leader Jason Maguire - and ended over 60 ahead
Big backers: In his illustrious career, McCoy has been most closely associated with two trainers - former top jockey Jonjo O'Neill (top) and 15-times champion trainer Martin Pipe (right). The 40-year-old lives in Berkshire with his wife Chanelle and they have two children - Eve (pictured) and Archie Peadar (another AP)
Grand stand: McCoy salutes the crowd after one of his first big wins at the Cheltenham Festival in 1997 - he led all the way on Make A Stand, trained in Somerset by Martin Pipe, to win the Champion Hurdle in front of 60,000 racegoers. He has also won the race on Brave Inca (2006) and Binocular (2010)
Numbers game: McCoy has ridden about 28,000 miles in races, with an average of one in four of those ending in victory. Other riders do well to win one in five. His mounts have earned prize money totalling more than £35m, of which he receives a small percentage. There is no financial reward for winning the jockeys' title
Famous faces: McCoy is friends with flat jockey Frankie Dettori (left), who is five inches smaller at 5ft 5in. Both are Arsenal fans, although McCoy has ridden for racehorse-owner Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United manager (top right). In 2010, the jockey played alongside Tiger Woods in an Irish charity pro-am golf tournament organised by boss JP McManus
On the course: On his rare days off, the jockey enjoys playing golf with former riders Carl Llewellyn (left), who is godfather to his daughter Eve, and Mick Fitzgerald. They are all Grand National winners, but Fitzgerald calls McCoy 'champ'. Irish jockey Ruby Walsh (right) is a rival and friend. He caddied when McCoy, who has a golf handicap of 14, played with Woods
National icon: Just as it took Frankie Dettori 15 attempts to win the Derby at Epsom, McCoy finally won the Grand National at Aintree at the 15th attempt. His mount Don't Push It, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and owned by JP McManus, was a 40-1 shot on the morning of the race but was sent off 10-1 joint favourite
Winning run: McCoy received the OBE from the Queen in 2011 (top) and was the first jockey to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010 (right). He polled more than four times the votes of any other contender and was also third in 2002 and 2013. He has been champion jockey 20 years running - the previous best was eight-time title winner Peter Scudamore
Winning combination: Millionaire JP McManus, once a major shareholder in Manchester United and nicknamed 'the Sundance Kid', has employed McCoy as his retained rider since 2004. McManus is thought to own more than 200 racehorses. They run in his green and gold hooped silks - the colours of South Liberties hurling club in Limerick
Golden day: Synchronised, owned by JP McManus, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2012. He had previously won other big races including the Welsh National. However, the horse lost his life when trying to follow up at the Grand National, falling at Becher's Brook and then fracturing a leg five fences later having continued riderless
History maker: McCoy salutes the Towcester crowd after Mountain Tunes becomes his 4,000th winner in November 2013. McCoy has to put in a gritty ride on the four-year-old before winning by half a length. Owner McManus offered everyone in the crowd a free drink to celebrate
Family man: McCoy got to celebrate his history-making win at Towcester with wife Chanelle, daugher Eve and son Archie Peadar (AP), who wore the green and gold silks of racehorse owner JP McManus
Magic 200: McCoy revealed the surprise news of his decision to retire after claiming his 200th winner of the season in February 2015 on Mr Mole at Newbury
Going out on a high: McCoy, who has ridden more than 4,300 winners, added: "When I've fallen and been injured, I've been desperate to get back and achieve my goals, achieve the dream I realised when I was a boy but I'm now ready to retire. I want to finish my career as champion jockey."
Festival farewell: AP McCoy was given a fine send-off at his final Cheltenham Festival in March 2015, and he obliged by riding Uxizandre to victory in the Ryanair Chase
Aintree disappointment: There was no fairytale finish in the 2015 Grand National for AP McCoy, who finished fifth on Shutthefrontdoor
This is how punters will remember the jockey - on a winner. Taken after his Irish Hennessy victory aboard Carlingford Lough ay Leopardstown - the day after announcing his retirement
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