Colin Phillips
At the Start
Another copy and paste from the Racing Post site :
McCoy crowned champion but labels season ‘frustrating'
Chanelle McCoy, with baby Eve, receives the champion jump jockey's trophy on behalf of husband Tony from Frankie Dettori at Sandown on Saturday
by Tony O'Hehir and Paul Eacott
DESPITE being the first jockey since Fred Archer more than 100 years ago to be crowned champion for a 13th consecutive season, Tony McCoy was on Saturday keen to put the campaign behind him.
An injury-hit season meant that McCoy's tally of 140 wins was his lowest since he was a conditional in 1994-95 and, with no wins in the championship races at the Cheltenham Festival and a first Grand National success still elusive, McCoy, who was at Punchestown on Saturday – his wife Chanelle and young daughter Eve collected his prize at Sandown – was far from celebrating.
The perennial champion jockey, who will head to Ludlow today to start the defence of his title, said: “Even apart from my back injury it has been a frustrating season. It's always nice to be champion, but it definitely wasn't my best year.”
McCoy's wife spoke of her astonishment at her husband's mental strength to return from breaking two vertebrae in a fall in January in time to make the Cheltenham Festival.
“He did superbly to come back from the back injury,” she said. “I think Eve kept him goingand kept his spirits alive. The treatment he had was extreme and it was unbelievable to see someone with such mental strength.
“When he was told by the doctor he wasn't going to be able to ride at Cheltenham, he just didn't accept it. He's also grateful to be able to count on the help of people like Mr JP McManus, Jonjo O'Neill and Charles Egerton.”
McCoy is the first jockey to be champion 13 consecutive times in Britain since Fred Archer (1874-86).
While David Johnson won his sixth owners' title, regaining the crown from McManus, Kauto Star and Clive Smith kept hold of the £200,000 Order of Merit for the season's top points-scorer in that competition.
“It has certainly been another great year and I was as proud of him for finishing second in the Gold Cup this year as I was of him winning last year,” reflected Smith.
“The ground wasn't quite to his liking and he performed admirably.
“The race at Aintree might have come a bit soon after, but he still ran well and we look forward to having him back next season.”
Paul Nicholls picked up the trainer's trophy for the third time on the day he broke the £4 million prize-money barrier for the season in Britain and Ireland, while top conditional jockey Brian Hughes, who has won39 races this season, collected his prize at Market Rasen from Kevin Darley.
McCoy crowned champion but labels season ‘frustrating'
Chanelle McCoy, with baby Eve, receives the champion jump jockey's trophy on behalf of husband Tony from Frankie Dettori at Sandown on Saturday
by Tony O'Hehir and Paul Eacott
DESPITE being the first jockey since Fred Archer more than 100 years ago to be crowned champion for a 13th consecutive season, Tony McCoy was on Saturday keen to put the campaign behind him.
An injury-hit season meant that McCoy's tally of 140 wins was his lowest since he was a conditional in 1994-95 and, with no wins in the championship races at the Cheltenham Festival and a first Grand National success still elusive, McCoy, who was at Punchestown on Saturday – his wife Chanelle and young daughter Eve collected his prize at Sandown – was far from celebrating.
The perennial champion jockey, who will head to Ludlow today to start the defence of his title, said: “Even apart from my back injury it has been a frustrating season. It's always nice to be champion, but it definitely wasn't my best year.”
McCoy's wife spoke of her astonishment at her husband's mental strength to return from breaking two vertebrae in a fall in January in time to make the Cheltenham Festival.
“He did superbly to come back from the back injury,” she said. “I think Eve kept him goingand kept his spirits alive. The treatment he had was extreme and it was unbelievable to see someone with such mental strength.
“When he was told by the doctor he wasn't going to be able to ride at Cheltenham, he just didn't accept it. He's also grateful to be able to count on the help of people like Mr JP McManus, Jonjo O'Neill and Charles Egerton.”
McCoy is the first jockey to be champion 13 consecutive times in Britain since Fred Archer (1874-86).
While David Johnson won his sixth owners' title, regaining the crown from McManus, Kauto Star and Clive Smith kept hold of the £200,000 Order of Merit for the season's top points-scorer in that competition.
“It has certainly been another great year and I was as proud of him for finishing second in the Gold Cup this year as I was of him winning last year,” reflected Smith.
“The ground wasn't quite to his liking and he performed admirably.
“The race at Aintree might have come a bit soon after, but he still ran well and we look forward to having him back next season.”
Paul Nicholls picked up the trainer's trophy for the third time on the day he broke the £4 million prize-money barrier for the season in Britain and Ireland, while top conditional jockey Brian Hughes, who has won39 races this season, collected his prize at Market Rasen from Kevin Darley.
. As Brendan pointed out, I bet AP doesn't disco dance as well as Fitzy does!
