- This topic has 54 replies, 35 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by
.
- Posts
How many NH jockeys have continued riding day-in day-out and more or less at the top of their game after the age of 40?
McCoy is an ‘old’ man and whilst he’s undoubtedly a one-off, has remained third-decade fit and would appear to be constructed of rubber-sprung steel even he, like the Land Rover Defender, couldn’t go on forever
You’d wonder if AP McCoy was the only imminent retiree on show at Leopardstown yesterday. Paul Carberry turns 41 today and has had plenty of injury problems in recent years. His ride on Apache Stronghold was a thing of beauty.
THM I believe Apache stronghold has been cited as Mr Carberry’s reason to keep riding! I think I read somewhere that as long as Apache gives him a tilt at the gold cup he will be available to ride him. Perhaps a bit tongue in cheek I don’t know but could well be Joe Tizzards Cue Card.
I find this thread all a bit strange.
I understand the opening post somewhat in that giving up something you love and are obsessed about is crazy. But He obviously has his reasons. I’m guessing it’s to do with the fact his body is telling him…enough!!!
How many injuries has the man had? I loved playing football but had to stop because of various injuries over time. I’m 43 and now walk like a cripple. I can say I have never fallen off a horse at 30 odd miles an hour but I can’t imagine it’s much fun. How many times has he fallen? On the day he pulls up another 200 winners he falls in the next race!
Some posts are saying he’s not that good anymore or he was gonna get the sack? After another 200 winners? Come on…
I think he can do whatever the hell he wants with his life, he owes nobody anything. He has a lovely family, and maybe he thinks it’s time to stay at home and watch his kids grow up, and it has to be a lot better doing that able bodied, than from a wheelchair or worse even. It’s an unforgiving business, there are plenty of jockeys who have had to retire through injury rather than making their own decision. There are jockeys who have had horrific injuries, some fatal. I’ve never been his biggest fan, but the facts and stats are there, he’s a record breaker year after year, he’s made of iron, and I think he’s been the greatest advertisement for racing for the past 20 years. I have nothing but admiration for the man and hope he is happy giving his body a well deserved rest and focus on whatever he feels like. Good luck I say. Legend!Zoso you say that AP was like a cat with nine lives three months ago. Well in an interview with the Times today Tony states that he went into a room and cried THREE MONTHS AGO when he realised that the injuries he sustained in his fall at Worcester were going to stop him reaching the 300 winner mark for the season. I would think this was the turning point in his thinking process.
As for being sacked by JP, are you being serious? There’s a decision that would have been reversed after Carlingford Lough yesterday.
And not only will AP not come back freelance as a 41 year old but neither should he. It’s time to enjoy life with his beautiful wife and two kids who have already battled through health issues and deserve to enjoy time with their dad.
How many NH jockeys have continued riding day-in day-out and more or less at the top of their game after the age of 40?
McCoy is an ‘old’ man and whilst he’s undoubtedly a one-off, has remained third-decade fit and would appear to be constructed of rubber-sprung steel even he, like the Land Rover Defender, couldn’t go on forever
You’d wonder if AP McCoy was the only imminent retiree on show at Leopardstown yesterday. Paul Carberry turns 41 today and has had plenty of injury problems in recent years. His ride on Apache Stronghold was a thing of beauty.
THM I believe Apache stronghold has been cited as Mr Carberry’s reason to keep riding! I think I read somewhere that as long as Apache gives him a tilt at the gold cup he will be available to ride him. Perhaps a bit tongue in cheek I don’t know but could well be Joe Tizzards Cue Card.
I’d well believe it Milbear. The other stable stars are owned by Gigginstown but it’s good to see Meade with a few nice horses this season. Snow Falcon is another of the Hunt horses who could give Carberry a chance of Cheltenham success.
I didnt say Tony was like a cat with 9 lives, thats a quote from his own interview. Google it search online exactly what he said on his return.
His words not mine.The guys a legend but his timing has gone for sure. I fancy Jezki in the champ hurdle but Mccoy on a high class hurdler always worries me.
I believe if Geraghty had of ridden My Tent or Yours last year instead of Jezki then MTOY would have won for just one example.Thats my thoughts that JP wanted rid, maybe im wrong maybe im right either way its my thoughts im not saying its factual.
Im not saying Mccoy has become useless he hasnt he is still a decent jockey its just I no longer believe he is in the top 5 jockeys in the country agsin thats my opinion.
I find this thread all a bit strange.
I understand the opening post somewhat in that giving up something you love and are obsessed about is crazy. But He obviously has his reasons. I’m guessing it’s to do with the fact his body is telling him…enough!!!
How many injuries has the man had? I loved playing football but had to stop because of various injuries over time. I’m 43 and now walk like a cripple. I can say I have never fallen off a horse at 30 odd miles an hour but I can’t imagine it’s much fun. How many times has he fallen? On the day he pulls up another 200 winners he falls in the next race!
Some posts are saying he’s not that good anymore or he was gonna get the sack? After another 200 winners? Come on…
I think he can do whatever the hell he wants with his life, he owes nobody anything. He has a lovely family, and maybe he thinks it’s time to stay at home and watch his kids grow up, and it has to be a lot better doing that able bodied, than from a wheelchair or worse even. It’s an unforgiving business, there are plenty of jockeys who have had to retire through injury rather than making their own decision. There are jockeys who have had horrific injuries, some fatal. I’ve never been his biggest fan, but the facts and stats are there, he’s a record breaker year after year, he’s made of iron, and I think he’s been the greatest advertisement for racing for the past 20 years. I have nothing but admiration for the man and hope he is happy giving his body a well deserved rest and focus on whatever he feels like. Good luck I say. Legend!I pretty much agree with this word for word. What business of ours is Tony McCoy’s decision? It comes to the sum total of absolutely sod all. He owes us and the sport itself nothing whatsoever.
For what it’s worth, he even foreshadowed this decision in his autobiography that was released in 2002 so how anybody can question this move twelve and a half years later beggars belief.
I find this thread all a bit strange.
I understand the opening post somewhat in that giving up something you love and are obsessed about is crazy. But He obviously has his reasons. I’m guessing it’s to do with the fact his body is telling him…enough!!!
How many injuries has the man had? I loved playing football but had to stop because of various injuries over time. I’m 43 and now walk like a cripple. I can say I have never fallen off a horse at 30 odd miles an hour but I can’t imagine it’s much fun. How many times has he fallen? On the day he pulls up another 200 winners he falls in the next race!
Some posts are saying he’s not that good anymore or he was gonna get the sack? After another 200 winners? Come on…
I think he can do whatever the hell he wants with his life, he owes nobody anything. He has a lovely family, and maybe he thinks it’s time to stay at home and watch his kids grow up, and it has to be a lot better doing that able bodied, than from a wheelchair or worse even. It’s an unforgiving business, there are plenty of jockeys who have had to retire through injury rather than making their own decision. There are jockeys who have had horrific injuries, some fatal. I’ve never been his biggest fan, but the facts and stats are there, he’s a record breaker year after year, he’s made of iron, and I think he’s been the greatest advertisement for racing for the past 20 years. I have nothing but admiration for the man and hope he is happy giving his body a well deserved rest and focus on whatever he feels like. Good luck I say. Legend!I pretty much agree with this word for word. What business of ours is Tony McCoy’s decision? It comes to the sum total of absolutely sod all. He owes us and the sport itself nothing whatsoever.
Its merely a topic of conversation guys and thats what we discuss on here,particularly one thats making headline news.
I find this thread all a bit strange.
I understand the opening post somewhat in that giving up something you love and are obsessed about is crazy. But He obviously has his reasons. I’m guessing it’s to do with the fact his body is telling him…enough!!!
How many injuries has the man had? I loved playing football but had to stop because of various injuries over time. I’m 43 and now walk like a cripple. I can say I have never fallen off a horse at 30 odd miles an hour but I can’t imagine it’s much fun. How many times has he fallen? On the day he pulls up another 200 winners he falls in the next race!
Some posts are saying he’s not that good anymore or he was gonna get the sack? After another 200 winners? Come on…
I think he can do whatever the hell he wants with his life, he owes nobody anything. He has a lovely family, and maybe he thinks it’s time to stay at home and watch his kids grow up, and it has to be a lot better doing that able bodied, than from a wheelchair or worse even. It’s an unforgiving business, there are plenty of jockeys who have had to retire through injury rather than making their own decision. There are jockeys who have had horrific injuries, some fatal. I’ve never been his biggest fan, but the facts and stats are there, he’s a record breaker year after year, he’s made of iron, and I think he’s been the greatest advertisement for racing for the past 20 years. I have nothing but admiration for the man and hope he is happy giving his body a well deserved rest and focus on whatever he feels like. Good luck I say. Legend!I pretty much agree with this word for word. What business of ours is Tony McCoy’s decision? It comes to the sum total of absolutely sod all. He owes us and the sport itself nothing whatsoever.
Its merely a topic of conversation guys and thats what we discuss on here,particularly one thats making headline news.
Ditto
Its merely a topic of conversation guys and thats what we discuss on here,particularly one thats making headline news.
I was going to add that it’s a topic that would get people talking but I thought that went without saying.
Of all the potential topics for this topical subject, ("What will he do next?","What would qualify him to make a decent trainer?","What are your favourite McCoy moments","Will he make a dramatic u-turn?","What can he achieve over the next seven weeks?","Will Lydia Hislop be able to get another interview with him whilst she has the chance?" etc etc etc), the questioning of a forty year old family man’s decision to follow through on a decision that had been made a decade and a half earlier is one that would result in poop flinging at best.
Its merely a topic of conversation guys and thats what we discuss on here,particularly one thats making headline news.
I was going to add that it’s a topic that would get people talking but I thought that went without saying.
Bit of a contradiction there BC….Suggesting on one hand ‘What business is it of ours to discuss AP’s retirement’ and then stating you were going to add ‘That its a topic that would get people talking’…..
I wont add the hypocritical bit of ‘I thought that went without saying’ but said it anyway! I thrive on having my own contradictions pointed out but I’m afraid that hasn’t happened here. It helps if you directly quote me ("What business of ours is Tony McCoy’s
decision
?") rather than create a new quote for me ("What business of ours is Tony McCoy’s
retirement
?") then using the non-existent quote to label me a hypocrite.
I think it’s a silly topic given the plethora of McCoy-centric avenues of discussion with a title designed to provoke discussion. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t discuss it, nor would I want to prevent others from doing so but by this token, I’m also entitled to air my opinion on the topic.
I won’t mention your not adding your views regarding a bizarre interpretation of the idiom "went without saying".
I didnt say Tony was like a cat with 9 lives, thats a quote from his own interview. Google it search online exactly what he said on his return.
His words not mine.The guys a legend but his timing has gone for sure. I fancy Jezki in the champ hurdle but Mccoy on a high class hurdler always worries me.
I believe if Geraghty had of ridden My Tent or Yours last year instead of Jezki then MTOY would have won for just one example.Thats my thoughts that JP wanted rid, maybe im wrong maybe im right either way its my thoughts im not saying its factual.
Im not saying Mccoy has become useless he hasnt he is still a decent jockey its just I no longer believe he is in the top 5 jockeys in the country agsin thats my opinion.
JP seems to be one of the most loyal owners there could possibly be. Just look at some of the dross he owns, yet Berry and co still have their jobs and you don’t see any of his trainers getting the boot.
So to suggest AP who he clearly has a very strong relationship outside of the workplace was about to get the boot is the most stupid, ill thought out statement I’ve heard for many a year!JP seems to be one of the most loyal owners there could possibly be. Just look at some of the dross he owns, yet Berry and co still have their jobs and you don’t see any of his trainers getting the boot.
So to suggest AP who he clearly has a very strong relationship outside of the workplace was about to get the boot is the most stupid, ill thought out statement I’ve heard for many a year!Maybe Lydia can ask the "sacking" question when she gets her final interview with AP??!!!
Maybe Lydia can ask the "sacking" question when she gets her final interview with AP??!!!
That must be doubtful, she’s hardly on theses days. Has she gone part time?
I realise there is another thread about McCoy’s retirement but I cant find it.
A few quotes from the great man since he made his big announcement
“I’m not looking forward to stopping, that’s the long and short of it.”
“I really don’t want to retire.”
“I could say the future will be fine but there’s no point.”
“I’ve always been someone that’s looked forward all my life but I’m going to have to start looking back now because there’s not much to look forward to.
“It’s going to be hard to wake up in the mornings and not be a competitive sportsperson anymore.”
“I could carry on riding for another two or three years, no problem.”
Pre Cheltenham Festival 2014…..“If someone said to me tomorrow that I had to retire,” he says, “it would kill me.”
Despite easing down over the last few weeks, he’s 84 winners ahead of Johnson, the general consensus…..the man is riding as well as ever.
Cant recall anyone at the top of any profession retiring early because they were afraid they might lose it, least of ironmen like McCoy.
Daft decision, probably made to keep other people happy, one he’ll certainly regret.
Not far off the 5000 either.
Richard Johnson’s national anthem next season
The wife has put her foot down
Hip, hip, hip hooray
the wife has put her foot down
AP’s not coming out to playCompletely agree McCoy doesn’t look or sound at all happy with his/her decision.
#who wears the trouzersGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.