Greatest Jockey

The Grand National is probably the one race in the calendar which appears in the national consciousness, almost universally recognised outside the tightly knit world of racing.

It may be a quirky race, over an extreme distance and over somewhat unusual obstacles but, like it or not, it is horse racings shop window.

It is the one race non-racing followers talk about. It is the race inn which the once a year punters will have their £1 e/w bets. The form book goes out of the window and people choose horses for the strangest of reasons.

One hack in the press room at Lingfield on Saturday reported his wife had backed Don’t Push It because that is what she frequently says to him when they have a disagreement. He also went on to add “I won’t tell you why he also backed Big Fella Thanks.”

Whatever the reason for backing a horse it is racings big day.

The National is a race which invariably has a human touch story associated with the winner. Be it Red Rum’s three wins, including the heartbreaking clash with Crisp. Aldaniti with the horse recovering from injury and, of course, John Champion winning his battle with cancer and in the process making testicular cancer an issue which could be discussed openly. Indeed how many mens lives have been saved by Champion’s win?

Then we had Jenny Pitman becoming the first and, and until last year, the only woman to train the winner of the National.

The 2010 renewal had plenty of opportunity for “good stories” as well.

Dream Alliance, winner of the Welsh National, owned by members of a working mens club and raised on an allotment – already the potential subject of a film.

Sam Twiston-Davies, son of trainer Nigel, riding in his first national at the tender age of 17.

Barry Geraghty suddenly getting the leg-up on the favourite Big Fella Thanks when, just over an hour before the off Ruby Walsh demonstrated just how precarious the life of a jump jockey is as he was trampled, breaking his arm in the process. Or Richard Johnson, who picked up a “spare” rides as the result of Walsh’s injury.

And so on and so on.

However, discussing potential big stories before the race, there were two which really stood out.

The really big story, the one which would even have knocked the election off the front pages, would have been if Nina Carberry had become the first woman to win the big race. She was not without a chance on Character Building and, with respect to all the female riders who have gone before her in the National, she would have been a most worthy to become the first female winner. She has proved again and again that she is able to compete with the boys.

The other big story would have been AP McCoy winning the contest at the 15th attempt, the one race he really wanted to win above all others, the one that had eluded him. He has managed third place no less than three times.

It is a race in which McCoy seemed to be jinxed. In 2005 on Clan Royal, having overcome a slipped saddle he was six lengths clear approaching Bechers for the second time, seemingly having the race at his mercy, only to be carried out by a loose horse.

Before this years race McCoy actually pointed out, with seeming resignation, that he would feel his CV would not be complete if he did not win the Grand National, despite having been champion jockey for an unprecedented fourteen years.

Well, unless you have been on a desert island for the past 24 hours, you will now know McCoy has finally broken his hoodoo, the monkey is off his back or you can apply any other cliché you like – but shout it from the rooftops, Tony McCoy has finally won a National.

For all his great riding prowess, one criticism frequently aimed at McCoy is he shows little emotion. That was something else firmly laid to rest yesterday.

His relief and, yes, joy was palpable. His celebrations came from the heart, a release of fifteen years of pent up emotions.

He even cried.

"I'm being a big wuss. It means everything to me to win the Grand National," he said.

"I've won lots of big races and I'm supposed to be a good jockey, but to not win the Grand National would be a bit of a negative on the CV.

"I always thought I would win as I always believe that everything will happen.

"I have managed to win a few other races but not a Grand National.

"Everyone on the street knows the National as it is a people's race and from a jockey's perspective that is why it is important.

"After a mile I wouldn't have swapped him for anything else, and I don't just mean horses, as he had totally taken to it.

"I'm delighted for my mum and dad as they've been great for me throughout the years, and for my wife, Chanelle, and my daughter, Eve, who is two and a half.

"Hopefully now she'll be proud of me when she grows up.”

McCoy showed his detractors what those who do know him already knew, namely he is human and a very decent human being as well.

On top of the sheer delight of seeing McCoy win, I also take a perverse delight at the damage he inflicted on the bookmakers. Available at 20/1 on Saturday morning, McCoy’s mount was backed into 10/1 during the day, taking millions out of the bookmakers satchels – some “revenge” for the carnage inflicted on the punters at Cheltenham and the first two days of Aintree.

Lest anyone thinks my eulogising of McCoy’s win is tainted by pocket talking let me say his victory actually cost me money.

Because of his record in the race I did not back him, my money was on the runner-up, so his win cost me money – but you know what? I don’t care, seeing the sheer delight of Anthony Peter McCoy made the loss insignificant.

Unless they have hearts of stone, there cannot be a single person who follows National Hunt racing, a single person in the massive Aintree crowd or a single person watching at home who would begrudge McCoy his victory yesterday or failed to have been moved by his reaction.

McCoy smiled and everyone smiled with him.

For the first time racings showpiece was broadcast in HD. Coincidentally this week I also bought a new large screen HD television.

I was watching the all-weather fare at Lingfield on Saturday afternoon, so ended up watching the National on the television in the press room.

It was a good race to watch and the BBC commentary was good. Jim McGrath, who frankly had a mare on the first two days, rose to the occasion and both Ian Bartlett and Darren Owen were excellent.

However when I got home on Saturday evening I watched the HD recording of the race – well what can I say, it was exceptional. The detail was superb. You could almost reach out and touch the horses, it was just like being there. On the close-up shots you could see the details of the horses muscles, you could see the muscles ripple as they moved.

Watching the HD coverage really was the icing on what was already a very well baked cake.