'Lucky' McManus hails McCoy

Owner JP McManus describes himself as "lucky" to have had Tony McCoy as his retained rider for the last 10 years.

McCoy pulled on McManus' famous green and gold silks for the last time at Sandown on Saturday and while neither Mr Mole or Box Office could provide a perfect winning finale, the duo have enjoyed plenty of big-race success together down the years.

McManus rates McCoy as a true friend and paid tribute to the rider on both a personal and professional level.

He said: "It was a telephone call from Christy Roche that first drew my attention (to McCoy), saying 'have you seen this young lad McCoy'.

"Then I have to say it was not a great pleasure the next time I met him. It was in 1998 when he rode Pridwell to beat Istabraq. I didn't think it was great at the time, but looking back it was a great ride.

"I have always been a great admirer of him, not just as a jockey but as a man.

"When he moved in 2004 (to ride) for me, it was difficult as he was coming into a yard where there was stable jockey Liam Cooper, and I was worried about how the lads would take the deal.

"Without any prompt from anyone, before we knew it he had them all eating out of his hands. It was just wonderful.

"The thing about him is he has the respect of everybody - his fellow jockeys, the owners, the punters, the media.

"The wins are one thing, but there is a friendship that has grown over time which is a great thing as with most relationships, they start going the other way!

"This relationship has just got stronger and stronger. My family love him and all the lads at the farm do.

"If they hear that AP is coming for the day, there is a real spring in their steps. They just love having him about. We were so lucky to have him."

Jonjo O'Neill does not expect anyone to surpass McCoy's achievements in the saddle.

O'Neill, McManus and McCoy famously won the 2010 Grand National with Don't Push It, while they also claimed the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Synchronised.

"He has been a fantastic help at Jackdaws Castle. We have got on since day one," said O'Neill, who was himself crowned leading rider on two occasions.

"It has been brilliant that he has been there to tell (us) where to place the horses and what they are like. It is unbelievable what he has achieved in the saddle. It will never be done again.

"He is a great ambassador to the sport. He is great in every respect - there is no downside to him whatsoever. He is good to everybody, whether they are valets or the lads and the lasses in the yard. He is an enormous help to everybody really."

While O'Neill and McCoy enjoyed plenty of high-profile success on the track, the trainer pointed to the rider's lower-key wins as some of his personal highlights.

He said: "There were loads of rides at smaller tracks that impressed me. That was the great thing - I probably got more of a kick out of them.