jump Jockey Tony Mc Coy ends his career with 4348 wins !!

Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racing during afternoons, evenings and on weekends, and it was the venue to an event famously reported throughout UK.

People do retire – in Govt and Public sector, retirements are rituals – there would be farewell party – farewell speeches – sandalwood garland, apple and fruits and drop in Office car !! …. In  Nov 2013, it  was a script, made,  rehearsed and fine-tuned.. ..  not the speech but the final game and retirement of the Cricketing  Great Sachin Tendulkar.  It all started there at the same Wankhede in 1988 with a century in debut in Ranji and the 24 years of International Career with unmatchable excellence  ended that day.  Sachin maded that one last walk to 22 yards bringing out emotions of millions marking the end of a glorious career with - 34357 International runs; 201 wickets and 256 catches.

At Sandown park, it was the tearful parting of Tony McCoy,  the greatest ever jockey  after riding  his 17,630th and final race after breaking every record in the book... and every bone in his body.  Anthony Peter McCoy OBE [1974]  is an Irish former horse racing jockey, based in England and the Republic of Ireland. He was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, becoming the first jockey to win the award. McCoy recorded his first winner in 1992 at age 17.  In Nov 2013 when Sachin retired,  McCoy rode his 4,000th winner, riding Mountain Tunes to victory at Towcester. McCoy has been Champion Jockey every year he has been professional.

The man who has ridden a record-breaking 289 winners in one season  and had total of 4,348 winners over the jumps ended his career this day.  Jump jockey is one who rides in steeplechases.   His two, third-place finishes at Sandown Park in front of a packed crowd of 18,000 race fans brought an end to the greatest racing career in history.  McCoy, 40, has been champion jump jockey for the past 20 years, and when he was handed the trophy for the final time today by former Arsenal player Ian Wright, it emerged that the Irish jockey will be allowed to keep it in perpetuity.

Some 18,000 people packed Sandown Park to see the 20-time Champion Jockey on his final two rides.  McCoy was joined on stage by his wife Chanelle and daughter Eve and young son Archie.  In a career that has lasted more than 25 years, McCoy has ridden in more than 17,000 races and fallen an estimated 1,000 times breaking almost every bone in his body at least once. McCoy looked clearly emotional has he waved to the crowd after finishing third aboard Box Office in his final race.

The record-breaking jockey admitted that, unusually, he had difficulty sleeping last night before his final professional rides.   McCoy has been Champion Jockey in Britain and Ireland since 1996. During his career he has had 4,348 winners since his first victory in in Thurles, in Tipperary, Ireland on March 26, 1992 aboard Legal Steps. His first British winner was in Exeter in 1994, riding Chickabiddy to victory.

Today at Sandown, McCoy was congratulated by fellow jockeys as he prepared for his final ever race.  Speaking to Channel 4, McCoy said: 'Today has been way beyond my expectations and thanks to Sandown and all the people who have been here today. It’s been an honour and a privilege. I’ve had a brilliant way of life for the past 25 years.  McCoy announced his retirement in February but it was only the passing of the Grand National and his last rides at Cheltenham that made reality hit home.

He humbly said, 'In any sport to be successful you have to be prepared to work harder than anyone else. I think I have got talent but I have never thought I am the best at anything. When I look back I don't think I leave much behind.'  In his final race, he was beaten by his long-time rival and friend Richard Johnson - who has been runner-up in the Champion Jockey race to McCoy for the past fifteen years.  In advance of his final rides today, stars from across sport, entertainment and racing paid tribute to McCoy, among them, Arsene Wenger, manager of his beloved Arsenal.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

26^th Apr 2015.

News and photos credit : Dailymail.co.uk