1 Don’t Push It The Grand National Aintree 10 April 2010
McCoy was in danger of being remembered most of all for never having won a Grand National. His mounts seemed to do everything possible but win, falling, unseating him, pulling up and even, on one occasion, being carried out by a loose horse when clear of the field. But he finally landed the most famous prize of all at the 15th attempt on Don’t Push It, a 10-1 shot who led at the last and never looked like getting collared from there on. “I’m being a big wuss,” was McCoy’s emotional reaction. “It means everything to me.”
2 Wichita Lineman William Hill Trophy Cheltenham 10 March 2009
He somehow lifted home this 5-1 Festival favourite who seemed intent on ruining his chance by clobbering every other fence. Wichita Lineman was, in the end, a tough and willing partner but his chance seemed gone at the third-last. Maljimar cruised into the lead at the second-last, while McCoy’s elbows were working away like pistons many lengths behind. Somehow, he rallied his mount to poke his nose in front in the dying strides. Of all his thousands of wins, this is the one of which one can say, no one else could have won it.
3 Pridwell Martell Hurdle Aintree 4 April 1998
Trained by Martin Pipe, who did so much to start McCoy’s record-breaking habits,, Pridwell was a popular animal who won 13 times over hurdles. Still, he seemed short of top class and was nearing the end of his career when McCoy somehow conjured this Grade One victory out of him against Istabraq, regarded by some as the most brilliant Champion Hurdler there ever was. Istabraq was long odds-on but perhaps did not relish the mud through which Pridwell and McCoy slogged with such determination.
4 Family Business Feast of St Raymond Novice Chase, Southwell 23 January 2002
This low-profile, low-quality contest would, in the ordinary course of events, have been forgotten by almost everyone within a week. McCoy was doubtless frustrated to be unseated at the 10th but, being McCoy, he kept an eye on what happened to the remaining four runners and, as they also fell by the wayside, remounted Family Business in game pursuit of the £4,000 prize. The chestnut threw in some further dodgy leaps but the champion jockey kept his seat and they finished alone, the first winners ever to have been traded at 999-1 on Betfair.
5 Mountain Tunes Weatherbys Novice Hurdle, Towcester 7 Nov 2013
In the week building up to this, his 4,000th winner, McCoy gradually acquired an enormous media following as he moved from Kempton to Exeter to Chepstow and finally to Towcester. This was his final ride of the day and it had begun to seem as though the new record would have to wait for another 24 hours as Mountain Tunes, on his hurdling debut, jumped awkwardly and lagged behind. Then, as so many horses had before, he responded gamely to his rider’s urgings and found a way past his rivals, despite being knocked sideways at the last.
6 Mr Mulligan Cheltenham Gold Cup 13 March 1997
The first of two Gold Cup wins, achieved when he was just 22. He inherited the ride on this chestnut on its previous start, when they fell at the last in Kempton’s King George. Mr Mulligan was not the most natural or fluid over a fence and he was sent off at 20-1. They came home nine lengths clear and many a backer made a mental note to take more interest in this jockey’s mounts in future.
7 Mini Sensation The Devon Marathon, Exeter 3 December 2004
Another victory that McCoy somehowpulled off after the doubters on Betfair had allowed his mount to reach odds of 999-1 in mid-race. Mini Sensation was capable, having won a Welsh National a couple of years before, but he was rather a plodder who needed a certain amount of encouragement to keep pounding after his rivals. He was on a losing run of eight which seemed sure to become nine as McCoy was hard at work with a circuit to go. He still had plenty to do three out but somehow hit the front with 50 yards to spare.
8 Synchronised Cheltenham Gold Cup 16 March 2012
Another Welsh National winner, Synchronised was rather better than a plodder as it turned out and he managed to win a Grade One in Ireland during the preceding winter. Even so, he was allowed to start at 8-1 for what seemed a hot race, with Kauto Star and Long Run among the opposition. He was outpaced for much of the way and was still only sixth with three to jump but kept responding and edged to the front on the run-in, giving McCoy the most recent of his two Gold Cups.
9 Best Mate King George VI Chase Kempton 26 December 2002
The triple Gold Cup winner was normally the mount of Jim Culloty, whose sympathetic riding style was in contrast to the all-action manner with which McCoy is most associated. Some felt that McCoy could never be a natural fit for this particular horse and indeed they had been narrowly beaten in the previous King George, but that had something to do with connections urging conservative tactics on a horse whose stamina was unproven. This time, McCoy had a freer hand and they led for most of the straight, outbattling Marlborough to record the jockey’s only success in the race.
10 Brave Inca Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham 14 March 2006
One of three victories in this race for McCoy but perhaps this one will linger longest for his association with the doughty Brave Inca, a sort of equine McCoy, whose effort was nearly always evident and who had to struggle for most of his many wins. He had come up short by a neck under Barry Cash the previous year and would be beaten under Ruby Walsh the following year but he produced the best effort of his career for McCoy, holding off Macs Joy and Hardy Eustace.
