Irish trainers pay tribute to McCoy

Colm Murphy believes Brave Inca would not have achieved as much as he did without the help of Tony McCoy, who rode his 4,000th career winner at Towcester on Thursday.

McCoy won six races on Brave Inca, five of which were Grade Ones, and many felt the pair were a match made in heaven as both horse and jockey had an iron will to win.

With McCoy notching up another milestone, Irish racing personalties were quick to pay tribute, and Murphy led the way.

"What can you say about the man that hasn't already been said? He's just absolutely phenomenal and words don't do him justice," said Murphy.

"To be doing what he's been doing day in day out for god knows how many years and achieve what he's achieved is incredible really.

"He's been very lucky for us. Not just with Brave Inca but with every horse he's ridden. He built up a great relationship with Inca, which was great. We were so lucky to have him and I've no doubt the horse wouldn't have achieved as much as he did if we didn't have AP on our side."

Veteran trainer Michael Hourigan said: "Will we ever see anyone like him again? He's so dedicated and just likes riding winners. He has such a will to win. He's a joy to watch and is super fit. He's riding away at those horses a mile from the finish."

Trainer Jessica Harrington said simply: "He's a genius of a jockey!"

Flat trainer Paul Deegan said: "There will never be another one like him - he's the greatest of all time. He's something that everyone could aspire to.

"He's the greatest there will ever be. There has never been one like him before and there will never be another one like him.

"Sometimes we almost take him for granted. It is only when he retires we will realise the genius that he is. It is not just the hard work and everything. He's a genius."

Jim Culloty, three-time Gold Cup winning jockey and rider of Best Mate, shared a weighing room with McCoy during his time in England.

"He's like a machine. He has his mind on the job and nothing else matters, everything else comes second to racing," he said.

"He wouldn't contemplate not going to Sedgefield to ride one if it had just half a chance - if he was getting married the same day he'd probably call off the wedding!"

Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle-winning jockey Conor O'Dwyer believes retirement is the furthest thing from Tony McCoy's mind after he registered his 4,000th winner of an incredible career.

"He's an amazing man, and his enthusiasm today is as strong as it ever was," said O'Dwyer.

"I'd say retirement is the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. Whether it's Newton Abbot or Cheltenham, he's committed every day of the week.

"He got Competitive Edge up on the line for me in a handicap chase at Leopardstown earlier this year, and it was badly needed as I'd gone a good while without a winner.

"The ride he gave Wichita Lineman to win at Cheltenham was something else, and I don't think anyone else would have won on him. But you could come up with any amount of great rides that he's given."

Mouse Morris, one of Ireland's top trainers, said: "He's an iron man and his will to win is probably his main asset. It's a phenomenal amount of winners to ride. He's ridden plenty of good winners for me and Boss Doyle (Mildmay Novices' Chase) is one that particularly sticks in my mind at Liverpool. But he's great value every day he gets up on one."

Racecourse commentator Des Scahill said: "He's an absolute freak. He has an insatiable will to win, and if he rides five winners in a day he'd wonder what went wrong with the other one.

"The win of Nordance Prince in the Victor Chandler Chase (in 2000) is one that stands out for me. He had to get down to 10st and got the better of Flagship Uberalles in a great finish. The unrivalled success he's had couldn't go to a nicer fella."

Niall 'Boots' Madden, former rider and now trainer, said: "He's unreal and we'll never see another one like him again. He's broken all the records and is a lovely fella."

Stuart Crawford, trainer, said: "I'd like to get him more! It's great when you do get him. He's given different types of horses great rides. If he thinks he's given the wrong information he's man enough to say the next day. He's the ultimate competitor but he can think of the next day which is important with young horses."

Brian Hamilton, trainer, said: "He's never actually ridden for me, but I remember Tony in his early teens riding work at the old Dundalk before he joined Jim Bolger. He was schooling five of Willie Rock's horses and he had to stand up as he was very small. My first recollection was that he was a wee miniature jockey. I knew then he was on his way as I watched him. He took a growth spurt much later."