Advertisement
McCoy took his tally of wins to 202 this season. Donall Farmer/INPHO

It was written in the stars: AP McCoy wins first Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown

The 19-time champion jockey announced his intention to retire yesterday.

LESS THAN TWENTY-FOUR hours after announcing he will retire at the end of the season, AP McCoy sparked emotional scenes at Leopardstown as he won his first Irish Hennessy Gold Cup on board Carlingford Lough.

The 4/1 shot recovered from a a stumble on the penultimate fence to win by three-quarters of a length from Foxrock and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere.

McCoy has now ridden 4,324 winners during his career after winning the previous race on Sort It Out just half an hour earlier.
https://vine.co/v/OUiBODvVwYX

The 40-year-old revealed he would be leaving the saddle this year during yesterday’s meeting at Newbury.

“You can’t fight fate and it was obviously meant to be the way things happened,” he told RTÉ.

“Fair play to John Kiely. Every day I’ve been on this horse he’s produced the goods. He’s done a brilliant job, couldn’t be better.

“JP’s (McManus) family are here and my family are here. It’s brilliant. It’s what’s meant to be.

“It’s amazing the people here at Leopardstown today. I have to be careful I don’t get too emotional, it’s not good for the image.”

McCoy has won 19 champion jockey titles.

Tony McCoy with his wife Chanelle after winning Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

How one Irishman went from contemplating suicide to cycling the world

Renaissance man Mooney ready to write the next chapter in Ireland’s cricketing history

Close