Being AP Page #8

Barry Geraghty is level,

AP is in third place,

Indian Castle in the black and grey colours

showing at fourth.

But they will never get...

And Barry Geraghty has won.

AP McCoy, the champion jockey,

green and yellow hoops,

white cap, the defending champion

for JP McManus, who's birthday it is today.

Jezki and AP McCoy tracking

his old friend and rival

on the inside there with Twiston-Davies.

And it's Faugheen who's bounded

and clear up the hill,

and he is a machine, Faugheen maintains

his unbeaten record.

And it's a treble for Willie Mullins

and Ruby Walsh. Faugheen is champion.

Do you know

what's interesting about this?

It's the first day of

McCoy's final festival

and yet, he's not even

a supporting story so far.

What will you notice, in Cheltenham,

as a rider, more so than anywhere else

is the disappointment.

To watch different guys sitting

by their pegs, staring into space,

white as sheets.

It's a funny place, a hard place.

You know,

this is an emotional time for AP,

whatever anyone says.

He's a very cool, calm, calculated character

but, you know, the time is running out for

this wonderful place to

be his centre stage.

These are the smaller jumps, the hurdles.

Who is out

very wide on the track.

He's then being stalked by out wide.

Goodwood Mirage made a bad mistake.

He made a mistake.

Go on, AP!

He got involved

in the finish but in the end,

he's flattened out in another disappointing

race for AP on day two of the festival.

You know I came into the week

with a few chances

and knew it wasn't going to be easy. So...

Well, you just got to keep your head down

and keep going and hopefully

it will happen at some point.

I'm not going to miss riding till the end of

the season and I'm lucky I can go out again

to the next race and have

another go. So I'm just going

to try and enjoy my job or

what's left of it anyways.

His valets,

this morning, were telling us

on the morning line

like Chris Board was saying,

that he's just been a bit more subdued

this week, very reflective,

as he, is trying to take it all in

at his last festival, in that way.

It must be a very odd experience for him.

He's very melancholic this week.

He hasn't had a winner.

We've had two days gone

and I didn't realise going into Cheltenham

how much he desperately wanted a winner.

He said, "I know I've got nothing to prove

going into Cheltenham, but..."

But he said, "This year, more than any year,

in Cheltenham," he said, "I want a winner.

"I just want to walk into that winner's

enclosure one more time

"and punch the air before I retire."

So swinging round the top turn

and onto towards the next and open ditch,

it's six out

and here's the champion jockey on Uxziandre

who flies over with a growing lead again.

And the pace looks

really strong, it must be questionable

if Uxziandre can keep this up.

AP McCoy riding an aggressive race here.

Uxziandre is jumping like a bunny rabbit,

in front with a clear lead.

So can AP McCoy win here

on his festival farewell,

in this right hand chase

still going great guns

on Uxziandre, but they are a long way

from the finish.

Uxziandre, can he just try to save a little

bit, as they reach the top of the hill.

Three fences to jump, it's AP on Uxziandre,

who heads down the hill.

Still out in front, leading to Eduard

in the red and yellow.

Uxziandre is over in front.

Macchio is still in there with a chance.

They're followed by Wonderful Job.

Hailey Casey is pulling up.

Uxziandre continues to lead.

These are the ones that count

as they race to the second last

and Uxziandre is still out in front.

Coming to the final fence, can Uxziandre

hold on for AP McCoy? Over safely.

Now they go up the hill, Uxziandre went

very fast from the outset.

He's holding on, he's keeping on gamely,

under the drive of a racing legend AP McCoy,

on his festival farewell,

wins the ride here!

What a tremendous example of

motivation there.

Horse and rider in perfect rhythm,

Uxziandre attacking every fence,

aggressively ridden by the champ,

that was a sight to see.

- Is this Desert Prince?

- Desert Prince.

I think it is, yeah.

Someone else is going to get

the pleasure of riding him.

He's a proper horse,

he's nearly the model jumper.

You'd like to be sitting on him,

wouldn't you?

Yeah. I'd like to be riding him.

- That's the hardest thing.

- Yeah.

But the right things are sometimes

always the hardest.

But, you'll be doing the same thing next

year or you'll be doing the same thing

the year after.

Yeah.

So, I think the time is right.

I don't think there's ever going to be

a good time, so...

Yeah, you're right.

There's a few on the other side.

What's on the other side?

Don't Push It is the one

that's trimmed.

What's the number he wore?

- Is it 40?

- Yeah.

And Shut The Front Door,

you know what number he is.

- Seven.

- Is he seven, is he?

Yeah. If Shut The Front Door could

do the same, that would be all right.

I didn't realise he was number seven.

Number seven.

Anyway, six or seven is Don't Push It.

Mmm.

Yep, we could do with

another one of them...

Yeah.

On... On Saturday.

Well, I'm riding Shut The Front Door

in the Grand National,

and if he wins that'll be the end.

So, I'd be happy to give up after winning

the Grand National.

Well, I wouldn't be happy, you know

but if you asked me at the moment,

if I could ride for another two weeks

or win the Grand National,

I'd pick the Grand National, you know.

He ran in Sean Connery's

colours, didn't he?

Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

What do you reckon horsey,

will I like retiring or not?

I could be in a home,

people coming to pat me.

People coming to pat me and take me

out for a walk.

I'm not so sure.

Here, this evening we are going

to be worshiping a true sporting legend.

The final fence... Don't Push It has landed

in front for Tony McCoy,

McCoy has a look round,

he has never ever won

this race in his glittering career...

He now, only has to seal...

The last couple of days haven't been

so good. I don't really want to give up.

He has at last won the Grand National!

Well, yeah, I could keep going for another

two or three years, but

but always worried about people thinking

that I'm going on for too long, you know.

Champion jockey, AP McCoy!

Time waits for no man,

especially not when in sport, so...

And I think it's important that

I quit while ahead.

It's not the jockey

of our generation,

it's the jockey of generations.

The key with AP or his career is to take

horse racing from the racing pages

to the sports pages, to the news pages.

AP McCoy, he is riding

in his record 20th Grand National...

I mean,

let's be perfectly honest,

I think we'll all agree, that he's

the story everybody wants, isn't he?

Yes!

I know the weekends that are left.

This weekend is the Grand National,

the following weekend, Sandown,

and the following weekend

I'll be in a home, probably,

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