Ruby Walsh hails McCoy's legacy
AP McCoy's weighing-room colleagues hailed the rider's legacy after the 19-time champion announced his decision to quit.
McCoy's great rival Ruby Walsh was among the first to hail the departing champion's legacy after he had announced after riding a 200th winner of the season at Newbury, that this would be his last season in the saddle.
Walsh said: "The biggest decisions are the hardest decisions, but that's not anything that AP has ever been afraid of.
"It is wonderful that you could have the career AP has had, but it was a big call and only he could have known that the time was right.
"He is the consummate professional and has done everything that is good for racing.
"He's been a wonderful ambassador for racing and an incredible jockey and all I think of is that it was an honour and a priviledge. He was so damn good that he always made you try harder.
"However many winners he has ridden, I don't know, too many to count... to say you rode with him. He has set standards and targets that are going to be in the history books for a long, long time and to say 'I rode against him and I beat him the odd time too' is a priviledge.
"He's just brilliant. What makes Messi? What makes Ronaldo? What made Federer? They're just unbelievably talented.
"It's kind of strange to say when someone is so good, but I'll probably miss riding against him. Definitely."
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls heard the news along with everyone else, after McCoy has made it 200 for season aboard his Betway Champion Chase possible Mr Mole.
He said: "It's a pleasure to have had anything to do with him and it was a peach of a ride he gave Mr Mole.
"He's been a great ambassador for the sport and no one can say enough about him.
"It doesn't surprise me totally as one day you have to make a decision. He's probably decided that's the right one, and everyone knows where they are.
"Everyone will miss him riding as he's been such a legend, but you can't go on forever.
"He's still riding as well as he's ever ridden and it's probably the right time to go out.
"Toby Balding once told me to use him as claimer, that he was the best he ever had. I always remember those words.
"We didn't have enough horses to keep him at the time and he went and rode all those winners for Martin Pipe. He's just been fantastic. He's a great guy to deal with and a brilliant jockey."
Tom Scudamore, another jockey on the mark at Newbury, has known McCoy since even before he started riding.
"As a teenager, he was an inspiration, and as a professional jockey he's the toughest rival you could ever wish for," he said.
"He's an unbelievably talented man who set the highest standards and his achievements are going to be in the record books for a long, long time. Having said that, from a personal perspective, I'll be pleased to see the back of him!"
Paul Struthers, boss of the Professional Jockeys Association, described the professionalism of McCoy that non-jockeys don't get to see.
"As well as being President, he's served on the board for at least a decade, and not once have I failed to be impressed with his dedication to the job," he said.
"He's never missed a single board meeting, despite all of his other commitments, and every decision he takes is done for the benefit of racing overall rather than thinking of himself."
Top trainer Nicky Henderson regularly calls on the services of McCoy, particularly for horse owned by JP McManus.
Among their biggest successes was Binocular in the 2010 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Henderson said: "We have had some great times with a lot of very good horses, mostly for JP but some others as well.
"It's absolutely incredible that he has managed to win 19 championships when you take that in the context of all other sports - it's right out there on its own. It couldn't happen in another discipline.
"What you have to remember is that this isn't ping pong, it is a tough, rough, exhausting and gruelling sport.
"He is a credit to racing and I am very sad that his career is going to come to an end.
McCoy's longstanding agent, Dave Roberts, said he had first been told of McCoy's intention to quit when the pair met on Monday evening.
"We had a long, long talk, and if he's happy, then so am I," he said. "The main thing is that he is at peace with the decision. That's the most important thing. It's the right time." ..
