Tony McCoy - made of steel

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/20185898

Apparently he will be back riding tomorrow.

How many footballers would be having to take weeks off because of a sore finger...

 

There is only one AP McCoy..the greatest National Hunt jockey ever and he thoroughly deserved to win Sports Personality Of The Year as I predicted in 2010 !

I'm sure Richard Johnson wasn't hoping the injury might be more serious !

 

He’s back riding today for one reason and one reason only...MONEY.

It always makes me laugh when people suggest any other reason. It is afterall the reason that we all go to work.

 

The fact that AP gets paid to ride does not diminish his courage or commitment in the slightest.

 

Spot on AR ...and he had the audacity to ride a winner too !

The greatest NH jockey we will ever see !

 

Ruby Walsh is the best, in terms of natural ability, NH jockey of his generation, but AP is the most dedicated and brave. We're lucky that we do see a lot of talented jockeys around at the moment.

Ruby Walsh, AP, Barry Geraghty, Davy Russell, Andrew Lynch, Daryl Jacob the list goes on

 

Joe totally agree

Odddy Noel Fehily is a genius - magic hands - certainly don't mind him on a horse when my money is on it.

 

Agreed

 

I really do think that people are missing the point re the McCoy boy returning to riding so quickly. He is in essence self-employed and therefore no rides equates to no riding fees and no percentage of prizemoney. If a self-employed mechanic, self-employed carpenter or self-employed accountant had suffered similar injuries then they would have returned to their job just as quickly for the same reasons...MONEY.

Comparisons with footballers meanwhile are somewhat irrelevant. They are contracted employees and will therefore be paid (providing the injury/illness is genuine) whether or not they are injured or fully fit.

 

Doesn't he get a healthy retainer from a certain JPM?

 

Sorry Joe Lively but you are well wide of the mark in saying that Ruby Walsh is the best jockey....AP McCoy has been Champion Jockey 17 times ,ridden over 200 winners in a season on several occasions,including almost 4000 winners in total,and has won every major race there is to win,despite riding for a far inferior stable than Ruby has had the ammunition for over the past 7 years....AND AP was voted Sports Personality Of The Year in 2010,even the great Lester Piggott never won that and Ruby would never even be considered for that award !

Please don't try and belittle the greatest ever NH jockey by suggesting he is not worthy of that title !

 

Of course he does, Nass. But the McCoy boy still wouldn’t have had any riding fees or percentage of the prizemoney from Ascot on Saturday without him actually riding there hence his keenness to return. I really don’t subscribe to this ‘braveness’ or ‘courageous’ line. He came back solely to make money from his job...as millions up and down the Isle do as well.

 

You don't think he could afford a day off then? And you don't think getting kicked in the face by a horse would keep most jockeys off the track for at least a day or two? Or most plumbers or black cab drivers, for that matter?

 

Exactly AR....he is a phenomenon a one-off...just as the racehorse Arkle was....both with live on in the memory of Horse Racing for time immemorial !

 

Archers, I don’t think McCoy would have been back riding the next day if the contests were each worth £2k at Ludow, no. But Ascot on Saturday was a very rich days sport hence his keenness to return.

Given the current state of ‘Broken’ Britain and the financial pitfalls unfortunately faced by so many I think that most self-employed individuals would have returned to work immediately. For no other reason than economic necessity.

 

SBC....you are missing the point about AP !

Of course he would have been back even at Ludlow or anywhere else you wish to mention...the reason being...hunger....hunger for winners first and foremost...he is determined to ride at least another 200 this season and reach his 4000 target as quickly as possible...that is all there is to it....he could easily afford to take a day or even a week off financially...he is all about one word....DETERMINATION....and there is no-one more committed or dedicated to their Sport the way he has been !

 

Arky, I’m in no way having a go at McCoy personally as I agree he is a great, great jockey. But as I’ve said I just don’t buy into this ‘brave’ line as he showed no more hunger or determination than any other self-employed individual in returning to work. To remain on the sidelines would have led to loss of earnings.

People often lose sight of the fact that for sportsmen or women there ‘field of play’ is there ‘office’or ‘factory floor’ and there job is no more romantic or courageous than anybody elses. They do it because it is the ‘industry’ in which they can make the most money in. He is no more determined in his work than most other self-employed people.

 

I agree with that. Other jockeys come back just as quickly but don't get the same level of coverage as McCoy because he is more in the public eye than the rest. He is dedicated - of course he is - but I can't believe that a fair few others (Richard Johnson for one) are not equally as committed. McCoy just happens to be better.