Category Archives: Jockeys

Sir Anthony Peter McCoy, knighted in 2016 for services to horse racing, but known to the racing public as ‘Tony’ or ‘A.P.’ was, by any objective measure, not only the greatest National Hunt jockey of his generation, but the greatest National Hunt jockey of all time.

 

Born and bred in Co. Antrim, McCoy rode his first winner in Britain on Chickabiddy, trained by Gordon Edwards, in a handicap hurdle at Exeter on September 7, 1994, and at the end of the 1994/95 season became Champion Conditional Jockey. Thereafter, McCoy rode more winners than any other National Hunt jockey in Britain in each of the next 20 seasons or, in other words, in every season until his retirement in April, 2015. Famously tall for a jockey, at 5’10”, testament to his dedication to his profession is the fact that, on the day he retired, at the age of 40, he still weighed only 10st 2lb and had the body fat percentage of a typical elite athlete.

 

Surprisingly, McCoy never won the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but won the Champion Hurdle three times, on Make A Stand in 1997, Brave Inca in 2006 and Binocular in 2010, the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Edredon Bleu in 2000 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, on Mr. Mulligan in 1997 and Sychronised in 2012. Away from the Festival, he famously won the Grand National, at the fifteenth attempt, on Don’t Push It in 2010.

 

McCoy enjoyed a fruitful association with Martin Pipe, winning the jockeys’ title in nine consecutive season while stable jockey at Pond House, before his decision to leave in 2004. In 2001/02, McCoy rode 289 winners – including 189 for Pipe – and broke the all-time record (269) for the most winners in a season, previously held by Sir Gordon Richards. In August, 2002, he became the most successful National Hunt jockey, numerically, in history, with 1,700 winners, one more than his predecessor at Pond House, Richard Dunwoody, in half the time and two-thirds of the number of rides.

 

McCoy left Pond House for what he described as the ‘new challenge’ of riding for Jonjo O’Neill at Jackdaws Castle, but accepted a huge retainer – rumoured to be anything up to £1 million a year – from John Patrick ‘J.P.’ McManus, owner of the state-of-the-art training facility, to ride in his familiar green and gold hooped silks. McCoy kept the retainer for the rest of his career and retired with 4,348 winners – 4,204 of them in Britain – and his financial future secure.

Oisín Murphy’s connection with horses began in his hometown of Killarney, Ireland. He started riding ponies at just four years old, and as he grew, his love for equestrian sports blossomed.

Initially, his dream was to pursue a career in show jumping, where he experienced early success. However, fate steered him toward the exhilarating world of flat racing, a decision that would ultimately define his career.

Breakthrough with Qatar Racing

In 2016, Murphy’s career hit a major milestone when he became the retained rider for Qatar Racing. However, his rise to prominence started earlier in 2014 when he achieved his first big win in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock aboard Hot Streak. That same year, he was named Champion Apprentice, marking the beginning of his rise to the top ranks of racing.

Group 1 Success and Career Highlights

For those who don’t know, group 1 in horse racing is as interesting as betting Serie-A, and maybe more so. Murphy’s first Group 1 victory came in 2017 with Acclaim in the Prix de la Forêt, but his real breakthrough was in 2018, riding the exceptional Roaring Lion. Together, they claimed four Group 1 wins, including the prestigious Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Murphy holds dear this race, in particular, due to his family’s presence that day. The emotional triumph over Saxon Warrior at the finish line is a career-defining moment for him.

Champion Jockey and Key Wins

By 2019, Murphy’s impressive performances earned him the title of UK Champion Jockey for the first time. He successfully retained this title in 2020, which proved to be another banner year.

Notable victories included Kameko’s triumph in the Qipco 2000 Guineas, Dream of Dreams winning the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes, and Alcohol-Free’s victory in the Cheveley Park Stakes. These wins further cemented Murphy’s position among the elite jockeys in British racing.

Dreams and Aspirations

Despite all his accomplishments, Murphy still has personal goals he’s eager to achieve. Two of the biggest races in the sport, the Epsom Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, remain on his radar, and he’s determined to win these iconic races before the end of his career.

Inspirations and Support System

Throughout his career, Murphy has drawn inspiration from many sources, starting with his family and his uncle, Jim Culloty, who has been a key mentor. Murphy also acknowledges the faith Qatar Racing’s Sheikh Fahad and his family have placed in him, and he credits Aidan O’Brien for providing invaluable early guidance.

A Hidden Passion for Poetry

Away from the racetrack, Murphy has a lesser-known passion: poetry. Sylvia Plath is one of his favourite writers, and depending on the day, he may reach for a volume of poetry or the Racing Post. This intellectual pursuit offers a glimpse into the jockey’s thoughtful side, setting him apart in a sport known for its intense focus on competition.

Lighter Moments in His Journey

Murphy’s career hasn’t been without its lighter moments. One of his favourite stories comes from his early days in the UK when former jockey Tom Brown playfully convinced him that he needed a passport to cross the Severn Bridge. Though it took him some time to see the humour in the prank, it remains a memorable anecdote from his early career.

Bryony Frost is the daughter of Grand National-winning jockey Jimmy Frost, but has wasted little time in making her own mark on the world of National Hunt racing. This quickly sparked predictions for Grand National success in some quarters. In March, 2017, at the age of 21, Bryony Frost rode Pacha Du Polder, trained by Paul Nicholls, to a neck victory over stable companion Wonderful Charm in the St. James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. In April, 2018, on her first ride in the Grand National she finished fifth on Milansbar, trained by her other principal benefactor, Neil King.

The following November, Bryony Frost rode Marienstar, also trained by King, to an easy victory in the Weatherbys General Stud Book Mares’ Handicap Chase at Kempton. In so doing, she achieved 75 wins as a conditional jockey, becoming just the second woman, after Lucy Alexander, to do so. Like Lucy Alexander, Bryony Frost became champion conditional jockey, for the 2018/19 season with 49 winners. Along the way, she won the Ryanair Chase at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival on Frodon, trained by Paul Nicholls, thus becoming the first woman to win a Grade One event over hurdles or fences at the March showpiece meeting.

As a fully-fledged professional jockey, Bryony Frost – who, we should remember, is not yet 25 years old – has continued to prosper. At the time of writing, in the 2019/20 National Hunt season so far, she has ridden 31 winners, most of which have been supplied by Neil King, from 249 rides at a strike rate of 13% and earned total prize money in excess of £433,000. Recent highlights include another victory on Frodon, in the

Unibet Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton, in January, 2020. After a bold, front-running display, Bryony Frost was quick to praise Frodon, saying, ‘They are elite athletes, so for him to come back within three runs off that Ryanair shows you he is a tough cookie.’

Bryony Frost isn’t finished with this year yet either; not by a long shot. She’ll be on Yala Enki in 2020 Aintree Grand National. While one eye is on a potential record breaker (three Grand National wins in a row) for Tiger Roll, let’s not forget that if the 30-1 shot manages to clinch the win, Bryony will be the first ever woman jockey to have won the National. That would be a remarkable achievement, even given that she does come from a racing family.

Trainer Paul Nicholls isn’t shy of singing the horses praises “”Yala Enki’s very much like Neptune Collonges as he’s a real stayer with a touch of class. He’s run well over three and a half miles at Haydock and he’s a similar type of horse. Bryony rides him well and gets on well with him, she suits him.”

Frosts career in racing is clearly going from strength to strength and so nothing would surprise me at this point. She’s getting the opportunities she deserves and those around her clearly have faith in her ability. The very best of luck to her on Saturday 4^th April.

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