John Kiely happy with Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Carlingford Lough

AP McCoy’s Irish Hennessy victory aboard Carlingford Lough sparked emotional scenes at Leopardstown last month, but there will barely be a dry eye in the house if the duo can repeat the trick in Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The win came just 24 hours after McCoy had announced his plan to quit the saddle at the end of the current campaign and Carlingford Lough now has the honour of providing the 19-times champion jockey with his final mount in the Festival feature.

McCoy scored a first blue-riband success aboard Mr Mulligan in 1997 before adding to his tally with Synchronised in 2012, a win he holds dear to his heart as it was a first Gold Cup for his boss JP McManus.