McCoy 'chuffed' at Cheltenham honour

Champion jockey Tony McCoy has described himself as “chuffed” that the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham next week has been renamed the Vote AP Gold Cup.

McCoy is one of the 10 nominations for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award and he has been overwhelmed by the effort racing as a whole has made in an attempt to see him succeed.

What would surely help him would be a victory in his “own” race, and he revealed in his Daily Telegraph column that he will be riding either Dancing Tornado or Sunnyhillboy.

“Whether or not I am voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, I will never be able to argue that racing didn’t make an effort on my behalf,” said McCoy.

“The support I have received has been overwhelming, and I would like to thank everybody. Win or lose, it is just an honour to make the last 10.

“I am especially chuffed that Cheltenham, the spiritual home of jump racing, should name a race in my honour, and one so steeped in history.

“I won it for Martin Pipe in 1998 on Northern Starlight. He was only a pony, but he could jump like a stag. This year I ride either Dancing Tornado or Sunnyhillboy.

“This news has brightened an otherwise very quiet and, of late, boring week. To be honest, the first two days rest were welcome as I was still pretty sore from my fall at Newbury. But the last four days have been even more painful, truly boring!”