Tony McCoy
Tony McCoy
Sir Anthony Peter McCoy OBE, commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former horse racing jockey. Based in the UK and Ireland, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a record 20 consecutive times, every year he was a professional. He stands 1.78 m, taller than most jockeys...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionHorse Jockey
Date of Birth4 May 1974
CountryIreland
affects failure fear middle thrill
I don't know which is stronger: the thrill of winning or the fear of failure. I don't know which one affects me most. I don't know where the middle is.
doubt drive fear living
You need fear and doubt to drive you on. Without it, you end up living in the past and being happy with what you have achieved.
champion dreamed fear life people sports win
Essentially, I am a dreamer. I've dreamed all my life. When I started, I dreamed I'd be Champion because it is a sport that is all about the people who win the most, and I have a fear of not winning.
good ridden
I've ridden 3,651 winners, if that's any good to you. I don't count the falls. I count the winners.
champion class difference expect field horse hurdle last small won
The small field should not make a difference to him and it was a small enough field when he won it last year. He's a class horse as you would expect for a Champion hurdle winner." ()
along great maybe people sports taste
Racing is a great sport, but we need people to come along and see that for themselves. Maybe they're not used to going racing or haven't been before, but I think people get a taste for it; they do come back.
absolutely although amazing born few john met mile playing remember seeing willie within
I've met Willie John a few times. He was born within a mile of where I was born, and I know he's an absolutely amazing man, although I don't remember seeing him playing rugby, unfortunately." ()
die doctors err push side
Doctors are fantastic, but they err on the side of caution. But you can push yourself. You're not going to die from pain.
You always get a buzz from winning. Winning is... everything.
bar bath chocolate diet home hot hour lie might slice station stop
Most days, I have a slice of toast, then lie in a hot bath for an hour to get up a sweat. I have a sauna at the racecourse and then go and ride. On the way home, I might stop at a service station and have a bar of chocolate and a Diet Coke. And that's it, basically.
chance
I was told that there's near on a million to one chance that I would be able to have children.
naturally sports
I think I'm skilful enough, but I don't consider myself a naturally talented, gifted sports person.
horses marked whip
I think I've always used the whip in the correct way. I see marked horses every day, and it's not a pretty sight, but I've never marked a horse. Never.
believe chance convinced reached ridiculous thinking time win
I am disappointed when I don't win, because I want to believe I can win on every horse I ride, which is a ridiculous thing to think. Even if I'm on a horse that I have woken up thinking has no chance, by the time I've reached the course, I'll have convinced myself that it can win and will be disappointed if it doesn't.