AP McCoy: Bumper crowds made the long run-in much easier

Tony McCoy thanked the racing public yesterday for making the last two months of his career the most memorable of all as their appreciation helped him cope with the thought of retirement.

Since announcing his intention to retire in February, McCoy has enjoyed a farewell tour up and down the country as well as travelling over to Ireland, with the attendance at usually mundane midweek meetings boosted by his presence.

The adulation shown to him has made the 20-times champion jockey realise just how much he affected the lives of the racing fraternity but while the decision to quit seemed to some to come out of the blue, McCoy feels he owes it to his family to go out at the top.