The Cheltenham Festival is one of the world’s greatest sporting events and AP McCoy was one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, which means the pair are a match made in heaven.
AP McCoy’s 5 Greatest Cheltenham Festival Rides
AP McCoy won 31 Cheltenham Festival races and some of those would never have triumphed if not for his determination. Here we pick out five of his very best successful Cheltenham Festival rides, where he was at the very top of his game and once again proved why he’s one of the greatest ever.
AP McCoy’s 5 Greatest Festival Winners: Well Chief (2004)
Well Chief will probably go down as one of the best two-mile chasers never to win the Champion Chase and famously went on to contest some titanic battles with the great Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop.
He didn’t have it all his own way in the 2004 Arkle however, and had to fight off the determined urges of future King George and Gold Cup winner Kicking King. McCoy’s mount pulled a couple of lengths clear of Kicking King as they turned for home, which may well have proved to be the race-winning move from the man on board.
AP McCoy’s 5 Greatest Festival Winners: Brave Inca (2006)
The triumvirate of Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca and Mac’s Joy dominated the top two-mile hurdle races when at the top of their games. That being said, Brave Inca would only win one Champion Hurdle, with that success coming in 2006.
Defending champion Hardy Eustace was sticking to his task well as they turned for home and Brave Inca was with him all the way. Whilst the former faded on the run to the line, Mac’s Joy appeared to be travelling best for much of the race but Brave Inca and AP McCoy weren’t to be denied.
AP McCoy’s 5 Greatest Festival Winners: Edredon Bleu (2000)
Henrietta Knight’s Edredon Bleu came out on top in the 2000 Queen Mother Champion Chase, despite the fact that he looked beaten, before fighting back to regain the lead on the line. It took them a while to announce the winner and it was very tight in the end.
The eight-year-old was a willing partner and although runner-up Direct Route had passed him on the run to the line, neither the horse nor McCoy were willing to taste defeat that day. Edredon Bleu also went on to win a King George three years later.
AP McCoy’s 5 Greatest Festival Winners: Synchronised (2012)
The 2012 Gold Cup will never go down as a classic but we did get to witness a quintessential AP McCoy ride, as Synchronised looked out of the race until somehow he hit the front to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
He was badly outpaced for much of the race at Cheltenham and never really looked like winning. Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding still looked beaten at the last but stayed on better than the rest under a very determined ride from McCoy, who had been hard at work for the entire 3m2½f.
AP McCoy’s 5 Greatest Festival Winners: Wichita Lineman (2009)
Wichita Lineman was well fancied for this race (which is currently known as the Ultima Handicap Chase) but favourite backers would have feared the worst for much of it. Also trained by Jonjo O’Neill, he was never travelling but AP wasn’t going to let him get away with it.
Most jockeys would have pulled Wichita Lineman up, and understandably so, but not AP. This ride has gone down as one of the best in the history of the Cheltenham Festival and it’s easy to see why, as McCoy managed to pull off the impossible and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
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