Tony McCoy has announced he is to retire from racing at the end of the season.
Just minutes after Mr Mole gave McCoy his 200th winner of the season as Sire De Grugy unseated three out in an incident-packed Betfair Price Rush Chase at Newbury, the champion jockey told Channel 4 Racing of his intention to stop riding.
Not seen since following up his Champion Chase success at Sandown last April, the Gary Moore-trained Sire De Grugy was sent off at odds-on but made a bad mistake four from home before parting company with Jamie Moore at the next.
That left a simple task for Mr Mole, who will test his credentials at the top level in the two-mile championship next month.
All that was overshadowed, however, when McCoy revealed his retirement plan.
“It’s going to be the last time I ride 200 winners,” he said. “Having spoken to Dave (Roberts, agent) and JP McManus, I am going to be retiring at the end of the season.”
McCoy said: “I want to go out at top, I want to go out as champion jockey and it will be my 20th year if I can win the jockeys’ championship. I want to go out while I still enjoy riding and am still relatively at the top.”
His wife Chanelle said: “It’s a decision he’s battled with very much, some days he’s at peace with it and some days he’s sad. It will be great for him to go out on a high and hopefully we will get him out in one piece.”
