Tony McCoy

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/80...gry-for-success.html


Very Interesting Article in the Daily Telegraph

Plus Tony's main rival Ruby breaks leg after winning on Kauto Star earlier in the day, what a loss and what a dangerous game.

Walsh suffers broken leg in Down Royal fall

IRELAND'S champion jockey Ruby Walsh's faces months on the sidelines after he broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg in a fall aboard Corrick Bridge at Down Royal on Saturday afternoon.

In a painful illustration of the dangers associated with National Hunt racing, Walsh had earlier been at his imperious best when steering Kauto Star and The Nightingale to big-race victories for trainer Paul Nicholls, before his fall on the Tony Martin-trained chaser.

McCoy hot favourite for Kauto King George ride

CHAMPION jockey Tony McCoy has been installed as the 1-4 favourite with Paddy Power to get the plum ride on Kauto Star when he bids for a record fifth victory in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

With regular rider Ruby Walsh sidelined with a serious fracture of the right leg sustained at Down Royal on Saturday, both Power and the race sponsors opened a book on Sunday as to who will replace Walsh.

Both bookmakers agree that McCoy is the most likely candidate to take the ride, with William Hill going even shorter at 1-5.

Williams breaks both arms in Cheltenham fall

JUMP jockey Christian Williams faces a very lengthy spell on the sidelines after breaking both arms when Beshabar was brought down two out by the fall of Chicago Grey in the 3m½f novice chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

It was first thought he had only broken his left arm but after observation at Cheltenham General Hospital it was found that he had sustained two breaks to his left arm and also fractured his right arm.

Cheltenham's clerk of the course, Simon Claisse, said: "It is rotten luck for Christian as I have just received a call from Kevin Darley, the chief executive of the Jockeys' Association, with the terrible news that he has broken both arms."

Davy Condon, rider of Chicago Grey, walked away from the nasty incident relatively unscathed. Both horses were unharmed.

McCoy makes Sports Personality shortlist

TONY McCOY has been nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

The 15-time champion jump jockey was among ten names announced on BBC1's The One Show to have been shortlisted for the prize.

He has been hot favourite for the award ever since he won his first John Smith's Grand National on Don't Push It in April and is quoted as short as 8-11 by Coral and Victor Chandler. Bet365 are a top-price 5-6.

No racing personality has ever won the prize and McCoy did not even make the nominations last year but a campaign has been running in the sport in an attempt to boost his chances.

The shortlist is compiled after recommendations from 30 sports writers, with the eventual winner decided by public vote on the night of the programme on December 19.

McCoy's main market rival is fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, winner of the US Open, who is one of two Ryder Cup heroes tobe nominated alongside World No.1 golfer Lee Westwood.

European heptathlon gold medal winner Jessica Ennis and multiple darts champion Phil Taylor are also on the list, as is Amy Williams who took the skeleton at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. But no footballer made the top ten in World Cup year, and the only cricketer is England spin bowler Graeme Swann.

McCoy was the only one of the ten nominees shortlisted to have received a vote from all 30 sports editors.

Well done AP, over the moon!

McCoy 'flattered' to receive prestigious award

TONY MCCOY on Wednesday said he was "flattered" to become the first jockey to be voted Sportsman of the Year in the 62-year history of the prestigious SJA Awards.

McCoy was narrowly voted the winner by the 700-plus sports journalists that form the SJA from golfer Graeme McDowell in a race that closely mirrors what is predicted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year title on December 19.

McCoy said: "Obviously it's a very prestigious award. It's voted for by the sports writers, so for them to want to award me with that is very flattering and looking at the winners in the past like Sir Chris Hoy and David Beckham it's a very A-list award."

Wednesday was not the first time that McCoy has been honoured at the awards with the jockey winning the 2002 Pat Besford Award for outstanding achievement in sport as well as finishing runner-up to boxer Lennox Lewis in the same year's Sportsman of the Year Award.

McCoy's victory at the SJA Awards is likely to be seen as a positive omen for the campaign for him to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Market at odds over McCoy award prospects
Racing Post

PUNTERS and bookmakers alike appeared on Thursday at a loss to know what to make of Tony McCoy's chances of being the first jockey to win the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award.

While the 15-time champion jockey was cut to 4-5 (from 8-11) by Coral and to 5-6 (from evens) by Paddy Power, he was eased by Totesport to 8-11 (from 4-6) and can still be backed at evens in a couple of places for Sunday evening's annual event.

“The majority of our punters are obviously horseracing fans, and with AP already the worst possible result for us, we have no option but to cut his price,” said Coral spokesman Gary Burton, “but however bad our figures are, we still want him to win!”

Cricketer Graeme Swann was cut by several firms on Thursday, after England's Ashes series continued to go well down under, Swann having taken a couple of wickets as his team bowled out Australia quite cheaply.

Burton added: “Swann is now proving a worthy challenger to the front runners; he was backed at 100-1 at the start of the year, and if he takes a few more wickets beforeSunday he might just be crowned Sports Personality of the Year."

Horsemen's Group chairman Paul Dixon on Thursday urged his organisation's11,000-strong membership, made up of owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and stable staff, to vote for McCoy.

"I am asking each of the associations that make up the Horsemen's Group to urge their respective members to cast their telephone votes to help give AP the best possible chance of success," said Dixon.

"Not only is he the most deserving recipient of this award, but at a time when the racing world is surrounded by so much gloom, the very real prospect of this national television award, watched by millions, going to a member of our industry is an event that stands out like a shining light. In public relations terms, it is invaluable for British horseracing.

"There cannot be anybody in racing who doesn't recognise McCoy's monumental feats as the best jump jockey in history. And this industry can deliver very significant numbers of votes as long as we can persuade people to get on the phone.

"Of course, we all want AP to win but just wanting is not good enough. We all have to vote. This is the message I am sending out to our members."

Paddy Power on Thursday opened a book on the RTE Sports Person of the Year award, making golfer Graeme McDowell their 2-7 favourite.

McDowell, like McCoy from Northern Ireland, is general 7-2 second favourite for the BBC's award, but ranks well ahead of McCoy in the market for the Irish equivalent, which will be decided on Wednesday.

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power, said: “It’s no surprise G-Mac is the favourite to be crowned Irish Sports Person of the Year.

"He’s been the man of the moment ever since winning the US Open at Pebble Beach in June and shows no sign of slowing down.”

They should just let him win on merit,all this publicity it`s like cheating and if i was Mccoy i would be really embarrassed,we all know he deserves it but if the public don`t want him,so what?

Will AP fall at the last or will it be a victory for racing?


BOOKMAKERS are preparing for the biggest ever BBC Sports Personality Of The Year payout should Tony McCoy receive the award on Sunday.

McCoy is as short as 8-15 with Totesport to become the first jockey to win the BBC prize in its 56-year history and layers are preparing for a six-figure payout.


Racing has thrown its support behind the 15-time champion jockey and punters have latched onto the tide of support with William Hill reporting a "wholesale gamble" on McCoy.

Hills spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "This year's award has really struck a chord with punters and with the racing industry getting behind McCoy's cause we have seen a wholesale gamble.

"If he does win we face a six figure hammering, but as Tony is such a great ambassador for racing, and therefore betting, we won't be unhappy to pay out."

Sharpe also revealed that the bookmaker had taken its largest bet in Sports Personality history with one punter staking £7,000 on McCoy at evens.

As for the man himself, McCoy remains flattered to be among the ten nominees for the award, which will be decided by a public vote on Sunday, and hopeful that his Racing For Change-backed campaign can raise the profile of racing.

Speaking on the eve of the awards, McCoy said: "Obviously there has been a lot of attention on it which is something that has really shocked me but it's just nice to be mentioned among the ten nominees.

"They are all at the top of their sport and you only have to look at the list and you see people like Lee Westwood, the world's No.1 golfer and David Haye a world champion, they are all winners.

"I'm more into my job than anything else but if I can help my sport in any way I will. Racing has given me a wonderful life so if I can promote it in any way I will."

He added: "There's been a few interesting facial features drawn on the [McCoy] cut-outs and the likes of Mattie Batchelor have had some interesting t-shirts drawn up!

"I've been accused of being miserable in the past so I'm trying to turn the corner if you like!"

Lee westwood must have a chance

i would have given it to colin pish for outstanding goal scoring ability

I think Graeme Mcdowell is more deserving than Lee Westwood. Gmac has had a better year than Lee, winning the US open, Welsh Open, Andulucia Masters, and beating Tiger and a stellar field in Tigers tournament a few weeks ago. Gmac also won the deciding match in the Ryder Cup when the yanks were making a dramatic comeback. He finished ahead of Lee in the European Tour money list and it could be argued that Lee becoming number 1 in the World was due to Tigers sexpolits and also due to Lee carrying on his consistency of 2009 into this year.

Westwood only won 2 tournaments, the St Jude classic and Nedbank challenge in SA. Gmac became the first European to win the US Open in 40 years. In terms of golfer of the year, for me its a no brainer.

What McCoy has done over his career is phenomenal and its great for racing that its getting such publicity but did he have a better year than Gmac? I'm not so sure...