Tony McCoy

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Tony McCoy (born 4th May, 1974 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland) is a British thoroughbred horse racing jockey.

McCoy rode his first winner at Thurles on March 26, 1992. Success in Ireland soon led to a move across the Irish Sea.

McCoy has broken numerous records since he started riding in England in 1994, his first win in England coming at Exeter on September 7, 1994.. He was soon off to a flying start by claiming a record 74 winners as a conditional jockey. Since then he has gone from strength to strength. The following season he was champion jockey, a feat that he has repeated in each of the five following years. During that run he has also set a new National Hunt record for winners in a season (253) and also become the fastest jockey to reach the 1000 winner mark. McCoy then beat Sir Gordon Richards record for winners in a season for all types of racing in 2002, (although by using modern technology McCoy was able to attend far more races thean Richards). McCoy beat Sir Gordon Richards’ record of 269 winners in a season on Valfonic at Warwick on April 2nd 2002, and he went on to end the campaign on 289.

McCoy soon achieved a new high of 289 winners, and in 2002 surpassed Richard Dunwoody's record of all time jumps winners. McCoy has now ridden over 2000 winners during his career (as of June 2005). Famous celebrities in Britain have all been known to have praised McCoy's talents over the years, with footballer Steve McManaman describing him to BBC radio once as an 'absolute legend'.

Winner of both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle he has yet to win the Grand National.

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