24th April 2015

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Mr Mole could become one of the most famous racehorses in the history of the sport if he wins a race at Sandown Park on Saturday. The contest formerly known as the Celebration Chase will be called the AP McCoy Celebration Chase just for one year and honour the retirement of arguably the greatest sportsman ever. It could be McCoy’s last ride as he currently has no other bookings at the meeting that marks the end of the jumps season.

Nicky Henderson is planning to run two of his stalwarts at the meeting in Sprinter Sacre and Bobs Worth but still recognises the importance of the occasion. He was quoted in the Racing Post as saying: “To say this is going to be a big day in every way is the understatement of the year. It is going to be a massive day for AP and a massive day for racing.” Part of that narrative is how his two former champions perform in the context of their careers in racing.

Sprinter Sacre has been entered for the race named with McCoy’s departure from the sport in mind. The horse twice earned a rating of 190 but now has an official mark of 167 which indicates how the form of the animal has declined. In 2013 he was judged to be the best horse since Arkle but a heart condition has caused a decline in ability which may never return. Another poor run on Saturday could prompt the horse’s retirement as he ran below his best and was pulled up at Cheltenham.

Bobs Worth will run in the Bet365 Chase, formerly known as the Whitbread. The horse also failed to complete at Cheltenham, running well below his best in the Gold Cup. He has come down the weights and can be competitive at this level and Henderson says he has never seen him look better. However, he must prove he retains some ability in this competitive handicap chase and another disappointment would see a reassessment of his future. Saturday’s fixture could well be pivotal in the history of National Hunt racing.

Barry Geraghty is the regular jockey on these two horses but has been absent from the sport since just after the Cheltenham Festival and is unlikely to be fit to ride on Saturday. A more likely scenario is a return to action at the Punchestown Festival in Ireland next week. In that case McCoy and Geraghty will never ride in the same race again. Nico de Boinville who rode Coneygree to win the Gold Cup last month, will ride Sprinter Sacre if Geraghty is not fit to return to the sport.

McCoy is the only jockey to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award and he is now the favourite to win the prize again in December after announcing he is to retire from the sport on Saturday. Richard Johnson and Geraghty are two of his best friends but both jockeys have slightly more reasons to celebrate when their pal hangs up his boots. Alongside Tom Scudamore and Sam Twiston–Davies they are right in the mix to be champion jockey for the first time.

McCoy has been the leading jockey for the last 19 years and is set to make it 20 before leaving the sport as a rider. After notching his 200th winner of the season at Newbury he announced live on Channel 4 that this was the last time he would reach a double century of winners. The most remarkable sporting career of all time is coming to an end. A ten-week farewell tour reaches its climax at Sandown.

The modest man from County Antrim has won countless awards and accolades but the honours he received in December 2013 made that a special month for the most special of men. He was officially recognised for breaking three world records, namely for riding 289 winners in one season, the most champion jockey jumps titles and the most career wins. McCoy was given an MBE in 2003 and an OBE in 2010 for his services to horse racing.

McCoy has ridden more than 4,300 winners in Britain and Ireland. One of the greatest sporting legacies of all-time will conclude at the weekend. Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Michael Schumacher have dominated their sport but not for 20 years and always the champion over that spell of time. Tony McCoy is the best sportsmen ever not just on numbers but also based on his overall contribution to his sport. If he played a global sport that claim could not be disputed but his sport is a minority activity compared to football, golf and tennis. Phil Taylor has a similar problem in the context of the game of darts.

National Hunt jockeys are in the only profession in which two ambulances follow them as they go about their daily business. About one in ten rides end with a fall which at any time could end a career. McCoy’s obsession with riding winners has given him a pain threshold that is unimaginable for more mere mortals. Family life has tempered the extremes of his ambition but McCoy will still do just about anything to ride a winner.

McCoy is one of a few people involved in racing to be known by the general public and not just the racing fraternity. Frankie Dettori has the same impact as a Flat jockey but McCoy could surpass him in terms of recognition from the non-racing groups. In the context of the BBC sports award McCoy is at a disadvantage as the major races are now shown exclusively on Channel 4. Achievements in other sports nearer the time will make McCoy’s job of being honoured by the BBC in December difficult especially as he takes part in a minority sport. However, if Mr Mole wins on Saturday all bets are off and McCoy could even get a knighthood.

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