Congratulations to him reaching 4,000 winners at Towcester! But what's his best ever ride? It can be in a selling hurdle at Uttoxeter. So many rides to choose from. Channel 4 Racing showed a few races earlier like when he won on Hennessy at Sandown.
Better still ask the man himself. He will tell you that in his mind getting PRIDWELL back up to beat the near invincible ISTABRAQ in the 1998 Martell Aintree Hurdle was his finest hour! For me the ride on WICHITA LINEMAN in the 2009 William Hill Trophy Chase at the Cheltenham Festival is possibly the best I have ever seen from anybody!
I've read/heard that somewhere stick - getting Pridwell up to beat Istabraq was a high. But the only view I've heard from outsiders is that Wichita Lineman victory. I would have thought his long awaited victory in the GN and his 4000th win in those famous colours could fill the 3rd and 4th spots.
Nowhere near his best ride, but a memorable moment was when he took a pull on Binocular after the 2nd last in the Champion Hurdle, not wanting to hit the front too soon. I mean, you just don't take a pull after the 2nd last in a Champion Hurdle
If I had been on here yesterday, I would have got that one in first!!! With 4,000 and counting to choose from, if he wins SPOTY 2013, it will surely be the first question that he gets asked... Do not think that he has much chance of winning SPOTY because whilst it is a landmark achievement, churning out hundreds of winners a season has been his career for the best part of twenty years. Plus we all know the odds-on favourite for this year.
He rode one of Pipes to win the Long Walk at Ascot several years ago. For once the name escapes me but it was a clever ride from start to finish.He poached several lengths at the start before riding a beautifully paced front running race.
I remember when he won the Ryanair for the 2nd time on Albertas Run - he'd had a nasty fall earlier in the afternoon (can't remember from which horse) and had a hard race on Albertas Run, an action-packed ride to get him up from Kalahari King. He dismounted VERY gingerly in the winners enclosure, had to hold on to the horse for a few seconds to stop himself keeling over. During the post-race interview though he never mentioned his pain but instead talked about Trevor Hemmings not being well and wishing him a good recovery. Typical McCoy.