British jockey Tony McCoy retiring at end of the season

Posted February 06, 2015 10:00 pm

The Associated Press

NEWBURY, England (AP) - Tony McCoy, Britain's most successful jumps jockey, says he will retire from horse racing at the end of the season.

McCoy earned his 200th winner of the season on Mr Mole at Newbury on Saturday, and then made the surprise announcement.

"It's going to be the last time I ride 200 winners," McCoy said. "I am going to be retiring at the end of the season. I want to go out while I still enjoy riding, and am still relatively at the top. I want to go out as champion jockey, and it will be my 20th year if I can win the jockeys' championship."

The 40-year-old McCoy, who has been crowned champion jockey 19 times, became the first jockey to ride 4,000 winners over jumps in Britain and Ireland in November 2013.

"He's been a great ambassador for the sport and no one can say enough about him," champion trainer Paul Nicholls said. "Everyone will miss him riding as he's been such a legend, but you can't go on forever. He's still riding as well as he's ever ridden and it's probably the right time to go out."

The jump season finishes on April 25 at Sandown.

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