AP McCoy: I’ll tell like it is in new role as Channel 4 racing pundit
The 20-times champion jumps jockey makes his debut in the role at Cheltenham today and insists he won’t be afraid to comment critically on his former weighing room colleagues.
“It’s my first stint on Channel 4 and whilst it’s obviously something new I’m looking forward to it,” McCoy wrote in his blog for William Hill.
“I’m not sure everyone is going to agree with my outlook on racing, but there you go. I hope I enjoy it and I get to do it for a bit longer. I might know half of the weighing room, but I’ll just be telling the truth the way I see it.”
However, McCoy insists he won’t be critical for the sake of it.
“I’m not going to be going into the business of going on television to slate lads, I’m just going to tell the truth as I see it.”
McCoy also reacted to the claims of Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne, who labelled the sport “chauvinistic” following her history-making success last week.
McCoy wrote women are not as strong as men and suggested they should receive a weight allowance.
He wrote: “The female jockeys are very, very competent riders but perhaps a woman should receive an allowance like a filly does in a race.
“It’s a very physically demanding sport and they’re not going to be as physically strong as a bloke. They can’t be.
“Tactically they can be as good but if it comes down to strength in a finish, a woman is not going to be as strong as a man.”
McCoy also touched on the death of Pat Eddery this week.
“Too many people get called a legend and the word gets thrown around lightly, but Pat Eddery was a legend.
“He also had what all great sportspeople have — that great work ethic.
“He wasn’t just a big race jockey, he went seven days a week. It’s a huge loss and very sad that he died at such a young age.”
