#AP McCoy

From Hurricane Fly's fourth consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle victory to The New One brushing aside the opposition in Cheltenham's International Hurdle, it has been an exciting year of racing. As 2014 nears its conclusion racing correspondent Marcus Townend reviews the past 12 months of racing, and picks his best race of each month. JANUARY Paul…

Tommy Lyons ranks the country's greatest horsemen from the past 50 years. A star from the outset, Walsh served notice of what was to come by winning the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham aboard Alexander Banquet, and winning the Aintree Grand National at the first attempt. He showed his outstanding natural ability and adaptability by being able to ride…

IT was just after 9pm last night when the racing world briefly went into meltdown as Davy Russell's astonishing return was confirmed. Only 23 days earlier, after riding one final - final at that time, at least - winner, he was back. A two-time Grand National hero, a man who doesn't suffer fools gladly, a man Elliott still needed. Russell released a…

The Cheltenham Festival doesn't exactly have a rich musical heritage. True, the Irish folk duo who played the nearby Prince Of Wales pub every evening for seemingly 30 years did perform a wonderful rendition of The Ballad Of Dawn Run twice-a-night. And twice-a-night ratings experts took exception to the line "And Wayward Lad, he knew he'd met the…

ONLY the true greats truly break the racing bubble. Frankie Dettori, Desert Orchid, AP McCoy, Lester Piggot all make the cut. And of course, the mighty Frankel. In tandem with his unequalled talent on the track, a run of 14 straight wins at the highest level in breathtaking fashion, Frankel was also credited with keeping his trainer Sir Henry Cecil…

We'll be providing you with live updates and the latest news on the race as it unfolds. King George Chase is one of the most prestigious National Hunt races, held annually at Kempton Park Racecourse in Surrey, England. Today's race is sure to be a thrilling event, with a competitive field of some of the best steeplechasers in the country vying for…

The crowds are about to descend on Aintree - the Grand National is finally upon us. Bookies will hold their collective breaths at 4.15pm, hoping for one of the outsiders to storm to the front and be first past the post. All of the best jockeys have a horse. The departing AP McCoy is on the favourite, Shutthefrontdoor, while Ruby Walsh will be…

Kempton's Ladbrokes King George (3.00) was won by the outsider Frodon, giving trainer Paul Nicholls his 12th success in the race Bryony Frost judged her fractions to perfection as Frodon served up a 20-1 shock in the 2020 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase. The pair have had a tremendous partnership in recent seasons and hit the heights in the festive…

Broomfield Burg and JPR One are fancied for Betfair Hurdle glory. Clan Des Obeaux, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, is one of several Paul Nicholls runners on the Newbury card Broomfield Burg (left) is favourite for the Betfair Hurdle Favourite Broomfield Burg bids to roll back the years for JP McManus and Nicky Henderson in the Betfair Hurdle…

JP McMANUS' incredible rise has seen the former bulldozer driver become a billionaire famed for his kindness and golden touch with horses. Nicknamed'The Sundance Kid', in true Logan Roy-style McManus once sent a helicopter to rescue a stricken friend. He co-owned Manchester United, is best mates with Tiger Woods and last weekend celebrated his…

Ascot stages the final major race meeting before Christmas and the card on Saturday afternoon is headlined by the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle. This race has been won by the very best staying hurdlers of this century - Baracouda (four times), Big Buck's (three) and Reve De Sivola (three) among them. Paisley Park has won two of the last three but Emma…

West Wales trainer is preparing two contenders for this weekend's Grand National and hopes the horses' relaxing dips in the waters of her private beach will give them an edge in the famous, gruelling race. Grand National history shows paddling in the sea can help a horse at Aintree with the legendary Red Rum having had regular dips on his local…

The 52-year-old, one of the sport's best-known figures, has ridden more than 3300 British winners since his first back in 1987. His wins also include 21 British Classic successes and three champion jockey titles. "Next year, 2023, will be my final professional year as a jockey. It's something I've been thinking about for a while," he told ITV…

JP McManus nods at the white boards at the other end of the office. It's late September in Martinstown and the rain is coming down in great grey sheets outside. "Our horses in training," he says, gesturing at the names of hundreds of thoroughbreds and their respective trainers. When asked the number he replies, "Marian Finucane once asked me how…

Sorrow enveloped Warren Place stables in Newmarket on Tuesday after Sir Henry Cecil finally lost his long battle with cancer at the age of 70. But it was matched by a determination from his staff to deliver a winning tribute to their beloved boss at next week's Royal Ascot. They were told that Cecil had died at a private Cambridge hospital after…

Somersby spearheads trainer Mick Channon's attempts to win a first grade one race over fences when facing nine rivals in the Grade One Boylesport.com Champion Chase. The two-mile contest is one of three grade-one races on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival. With Sprinter Sacre sidelined, Somersby has posted claims to be the second best…

FOR Michelle Mone, it has always been boom - and quite a bit of bust. Things are no different now she has stepped into the horseracing world after buying an £80000 runner and sending him to a Grand National-winning trainer. Jonjo O'Neill, who won the 2010 Ainthree showpiece with AP McCoy on Don't Push It, is the man tasked with turning Baroness…

1901 total views, 1901 views today Cousin Shay, who was priced at 12/1 before the start of the Dundalk seven-furlong handicap race, ended up coming from two furlongs behind at the back of the pack to win the race in emphatic style. Cousin Shay was ridden by jockey Conor Hoban who couldn't be happier with the result. In second place was Lion Ring…

Champ pipped Paisley Park in a thrilling finish to the Coral Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Friday. The two 10-year-olds battled it out right to the line in the three-mile contest, with the strong-travelling, front-running Champ just getting the better of the popular former Stayers' Hurdle winner, who powered home under Aidan Coleman. Jonjo…

Ahead of the highly-anticipated WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, we cast our eye over each runner including hat-trick chasing Al Boum Photo and Santini Al Boum Photo, the Willie Mullins-trained chaser bidding to join Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate as a three-time winner of the Gold Cup, heads the dozen runners declared for Friday's…

SATURDAY of the Paddy Power meeting is always a massive day with the Paddy Power Gold Cup the highlight. I only managed to win it once, but that was on Cyfor Malta in 2002, four years after he'd won it for the first time under AP McCoy. Only five horses have won it twice and he is one of them. He was a classy horse and even though I'm not sure…

Champ pipped Paisley Park in a battle royal in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle. The two 10-year-olds produced a thrilling finish in the three-mile contest, with the strong-travelling, front-running Champ just getting the better of the popular former Stayers' Hurdle winner, who powered home under Aidan Coleman, and was in front a stride or two after…

Kapcorse: Harry Cobden sported Sir Peter O'Sullevan silks when successful in this race last year Perhaps the name most synonymous with the Coral Gold Cup undercard in recent years is dual Sir Peter O'Sullevan Memorial winner Kapcorse, and bookmakers are giving him more respect than is typically the case. The early favourite has contested three of…

Dodging Bullets, bred by Flat jockey Frankie Dettori, won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham for rider Sam Twiston-Davies and trainer Paul Nicholls. The 9-2 chance won by one and a quarter lengths from Somersby (33-1) with Special Tiara (18-1) third. Last year's winner Sire De Grugy finished fourth while the 2013 victor Sprinter Sacre -…

You cannot keep a good man down for long and Frankie Dettori, who adores the royal meeting like few others but might have begun to question his love affair with it after a trying week, was back doing what he does best - steering a strongly backed big-race favourite to a storming victory in front of a roaring crowd. Inspiral, last year's champion…

By HRI Foreign Staff - Around the world, racing fans look to their showcase events each year. In the U.S., everyone's tongues are already wagging about the Kentucky Derby, which gets underway in May. In Australia, it's the Melbourne Cup that people are hotly anticipating. However, before those renowned races on the sporting calendar comes the Grand…

Horse racing events are the highlight of social occasions in the United Kingdom and across the world. Based on the seasons, we've compiled a list of the must-see horse racing events you can anticipate in 2022. But, make sure you learn how to bet on horse racing first if you want to join the action with your money. The Breeders' Cup is a four-day…

Barney Curley, one of the most colourful characters in horse racing, has died aged 81. Born in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, he became a successful horse trainer and was famed for his betting coup involving the horse Yellow Sam in 1975. In later years he founded and dedicated his time to the charity Direct Aid For Africa to support people in…

The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle appears to be the main Cheltenham target for Champ, with Nicky Henderson pointing at the Cleeve Hurdle as his likely festival prep run. Plans for the ten-year-old had been unclear after he triumphed in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on his comeback this season. That run was intended as a warm-up before a return for…

There were two almost unanimous verdicts after the SBK Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday. The first was that Shishkin and Energumene had provided a wonderful spectacle that will long live in the memory. No argument on that one. The second was that the chances of Energumene reversing the form in the Champion Chase were slim. Even Willie…