Tony McCoy Quotes

Tony McCoy

Profession : Athlete

Birth : May 4, 1974

I think I'm skilful enough, but I don't consider myself a naturally talented, gifted sports person.

Tony McCoy

My first winner was on Legal Steps, in Ireland, at Thurles, in March 1992. I rode for Jim Bolger, and his stable jockey was Christy Roche.

Tony McCoy

I've appreciated every winner. I love them all.

Tony McCoy

The National is about however long it takes to run that race - eight minutes of fame - but champion jockey is about racing 365 days a year. I actually wouldn't swap any of my winners for the National.

Tony McCoy

Racing may be a minority sport, but I wouldn't swap it for all the money in the world.

Tony McCoy

A helmet is the most important part of any jockey's kit because of the number of falls you take, so I wouldn't want to be wearing anything on the track unless it had been thoroughly tested.

Tony McCoy

Racing is a great sport, but we need people to come along and see that for themselves. Maybe they're not used to going racing or haven't been before, but I think people get a taste for it; they do come back.

Tony McCoy

Sir Gordon Richards was the most successful jockey - flat or jumps - there's ever been: champion jockey for 26 years. He set a record of 269 winners in the season 55 years before I broke it. That was my greatest achievement.

Tony McCoy

I never had a written contract, was never officially a stable jockey.

Tony McCoy

I was told that there's near on a million to one chance that I would be able to have children.

Tony McCoy

The criticism does not hurt because I have always been my own worst critic. I wouldn't say I don't respect other people's opinions, but my opinion is the most important.

Tony McCoy

No matter how long I go without riding winners, I know in the back of my head that I can ride.

Tony McCoy

I suppose I'm happy when I know I've given a horse a good ride, no matter where it is. I like playing golf in the summer; I'm happy when I hit a good shot, and I enjoy watching Arsenal playing beautiful football, but overall I can't believe you can be happy when you're not winning. I honestly can't accept that.

Tony McCoy

The day I go out there and don't want to win is the day I will give up.

Tony McCoy

If I go racing tomorrow and I have five rides that all get beaten, all I want to do is get out there the next day and put it right. I hate having Sundays off; I hate having any day off.

Tony McCoy

Even though people involved in racing think that it has a big sporting stage, it is a minority sport compared to some of the other high-profile events: football, Formula One or golf.

Tony McCoy

I like challenging myself. I'm not a person who likes not to work.

Tony McCoy

I'm very lucky to live my life through a sport that I love. I'm in a very privileged position that my work is my hobby.

Tony McCoy

It always hurts a bit to pick the 'wrong one' in a race as big as the Champion Hurdle, and then, to make matters worse, you go and get beat by the horse you rejected.

Tony McCoy

It will not surprise you to learn that it is not uncommon for jockeys who struggle with their weight to starve themselves and spend hours in the sauna to lose a few pounds to be able to make a big-race ride.

Tony McCoy