Tony McCoy

The national victory made mccoys year

Well done Anthony(tu)

Great for racing that he won the award. Tony really is a machine and deserves all the plaudits. I still think Gmac had the best year in comparison to the other contestants and it's a bit of a joke he didn't make the first 3. But I guess not too many poms would vote for an Irishman.

But what a howler by AP in his victory speech when he said how his daughter saw him on Sky television in the morning. He realised his mistake but couldn't exactly stop saying a one syllable word! I thought seeing it was for the BBC sportsman of the year mentioning Sky was a faux pas of note!

well done Tony the real "McCoy" great for racing, maybe MDK here next?

Tony McCoy is Sports Personality of the Year
racingpost.com

TONY McCOY on Sunday became the first racing figure to win Sports Personality of the Year when BBC viewers voted the 15-time champion jockey into first place ahead of Phil Taylor and Jessica Ennis.

After a campaign by the sport on behalf of the jockey that saw plenty of promotional stops pulled out and the odds about him landing the prize tumble to 8-15 in the run-up to Sunday's ceremony, the award comes as deserved recognition from the wider sporting world and general public of his unique achievements.


McCoy took 41.98 per cent of the vote and, receiving his award from Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas, told the 12,000-strong crowd at the LG Arena in Birmingham: "This is an unbelievable feeling to be standing in front of so many amazing sportspeople, so many people who I look up to and watch all the time on television.

"To win this award, well, it's very surreal. I have got so many people to thank I don't know where to start, but I work in a wonderful sport in horseracing and I would like to thank every one of those because I know most of them spent most of the night voting for me."

McCoy, for whom the award capped a memorable year in which he won his first Grand National, aboard Don't Push It, went on to specifically thank the horse's trainer Jonjo O'Neill, saying: "Idefinitely wouldn't have ridden the winner of the Grand National without him", JP and Nora McManus, "who I knew wanted to win it as much as I did", and his agent, Dave Roberts.

Racing was not mentioned during the two-hour broadcast outside of the four-minute segment on McCoy and a two-minute profile that featured tributes from Ruby Walsh and Frankie Dettori, though the deaths of Greville Starkey, Dick Francis and Paddy Mullins featured among the obituaries.

Thank you - this award capped a wonderful year

Tony McCoy, voted Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, with a message of thanks to his supporters

I WOULD like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me in the run-up to BBC Sports Personality of the Year and on the night by voting for me.

It capped a wonderful year for me and, at the risk of using an appalling cliché, I hope that on the night this great sport of ours was the winner, and that it might help attract a few new fans.

There are just too many people to thank individually, but if I ever run for prime minister I could well be turning to you for your support again - you were superb and I hope none of you ran up big phone bills on the night.

The cardboard cut-outs of me, which many of my colleagues said had more personality than I do, will be coming down and those people who had had their fish and chips spoiled by eating out of an article about me will once again be able to enjoy the taste.

Have a very happy Christmas and thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

AP McCoy, Lambourn

Tony rides Kauto on boxing day X(

Bob how did the betting go for "who will ride Kauto"? Fehily had the mount and was injured, did the bookies payout after he was declared the jock?

McCoy delighted after schooling Kauto Star


TONY McCOY, who received a late call-up for the coveted ride aboard favourite Kauto Star in the William Hill King George VI Chase, spent Thursday morning becoming acquainted with the superstar in preparation for Sunday's race.

Kauto Star, who was among eleven final declarations for the 3m Grade 1 contest on Thursday, will be ridden by McCoy for the first time after an injured Noel Fehily ruled himself out on Wednesday.

Writing on Twitter after schooling the ten-year-old at trainer Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat base, McCoy said: "Been to ride Kauto Star this morning and can't stop smiling at the thought of getting to ride such a brilliant racehorse."

Nicholls also confirmed that the session had gone well via his Twitter feed. He said: "AP and Kauto jumped 40 fences and did one canter up Ditcheat hill and got on great."

With McCoy now on Kauto Star, Dougie Costello has been called up for the mount on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Albertas Run, the original ride of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.


William Hill shortened Kauto Star to odds-on for the first time on Thursday, offering just 4-5 (from 11-10) that he will become the first horse to win the race five times.

Providing the meeting passes its midday inspection on Friday, trainer Nicky Henderson will be represented by second-favourite Long Run and Riverside Theatre, while Nicholls will saddle The Nightingale, the mount of Sam Thomas, as his second string.

The other challengers for the King George are Forpadydeplasterer, Nacarat, Sizing Europe, Planet Of Sound, Madison Du Berlais and Ollie Magern.

Burton Port, What A Friend and Noland were the three defectors at Thursday's final declaration stage.