Tears but no winner for AP McCoy on emotional farewell

McCoy, the 40-year-old who has ridden far more winners over fences than any other jockey, was willed on to a fairytale finish by a capacity crowd of 18,000 at Sandown Park in the London suburbs.

He had two final rides on Mr Mole and, fittingly, his last mount was called Box Office.

Yet even his famed alchemy could not push either to victory in the green and gold silks of his multi-millionaire Irish employer, J.P McManus, nor add to his final total of 4,357 victories in Britain and Ireland.

Both horses finished third but there was no sense of anti-climax as one of Britain's most popular sportsmen bowed out to a demonstration of affection from his competitors and spectators alike that few retiring champions will ever enjoy.

One of the hardest athletes who ever drew breath was reduced to tears on board Box Office as the crowd cheered him.

On the last day of the jumps season, McCoy was given a guard of honour from fellow jockeys and serenaded by the entire grandstand who sang "For he's a jolly good fellow" before collecting the trophy for champion jockey for an almost unreal 20th consecutive year. Indeed, organisers let McCoy keep the Cup for good.

The crowd, many of them donning paper McCoy masks, roared they approval as he told them: "I've been privileged, doing something I absolutely loved. But retiring's absolutely the right thing to do. If I'd gone on until I wasn't as good as I was, then that wouldn't have been right."

The man from Moneyglass in County Antrim has made a farewell tour of Britain's courses since revealing his decision to retire 11 weeks ago. On his last day as a jockey, he looked for much of the afternoon as cheerful as a dead man walking.

McCoy's career has been as extraordinary for its resilience and fortitude as for its excellence; seemingly indestructible, he's bounced back from 13 broken bones, 14 shattered teeth and, twice, punctured lungs.

No wonder his wife Chanelle, attending with their two young children, looked so relieved. After 17,630 rides, the only thing that mattered was that she had her hero back in one piece.

"It's been one of the hardest days in my life. In a lot of ways, it had to be this way, it had to be difficult," said McCoy.

"It was always my dream to bow out at the top. I wanted to get out while I was still champion jockey and I have."

It was such an emotional occasion for McCoy that he could not stop the tears, even as he prepared for his very final ride aboard Box Office -- a horse which sadly could not come up with a performance befitting its name.

"There were tears coming back on Box Office. Actually, there were nearly tears going out on Box Office too but I pulled my goggles down so nobody would notice."

Everybody worries how the famously obsessive and single-minded 'Champ' will cope, bereft without the rush that accompanies sport's toughest daily beat.

He said with a shrug that he still had no idea, either, and reckoned the "fear of retirement" will only grow over the next few weeks.

This week, though, he will be going to hospital in Ireland, visiting his old friends, cousins Robbie and J.T McNamara, jockeys who have both suffered terrible injuries in falls.

"That will put my head right, putting things into perspective pretty quickly," he said.

And with one final wistful reflection on his career, he noted: "I really think I've lived the dream. My only wish is that I could go back and do it all again."