NINETEEN RIDES BUT ONLY ONE NATIONAL WIN
AP McCOY will break yet another record when he lines up in the race for the 20th this afternoon. He surpasses Tom Olliver who was successful three times (1842, 1843 and 1853) from 19 rides.
1995 CHATAM. Fell at 12th Survived a peck on landing at Becher’s and well off the pace when he fell. 1996 DEEP BRAMBLE. Pulled up at 28th Considered potentially unlucky. Still going well when an injury caused him to be pulled up. 1998 CHALLENGER DU LUC. Fell at 1st It all ended quickly for the Cheltenham Gold Cup sixth.
1999 EUDIPE. Fell at 22nd Beginning to feel the pinch and suffered a fatal fall. 2000 DARK STRANGER. Unseated rider at 3rd The first favourite McCoy would ride. Got as far as the third before unseating him.
2001 BLOWING WIND. 3rd Remounted after being hampered at the 19th to finish 3rd to Red Marauder.
2002 BLOWING WIND. 3rd Solid effort but no more to give in closing stages. 2003 IRIS BLEU. Pulled up at 16th Made a couple of serious mistakes before being pulled up with an injury.
2004 JURANCON II. Fell at 4th The 10-1 co-favourite got as far as the fourth fence before falling heavily. 2005 CLAN ROYAL. Carried out at 22nd Tanking along close/in lead when taken out by a loose horse at Becher’s on the second circuit.
2006 CLAN ROYAL. 3rd The 5-1 joint-favourite was a rallying third to Numbersixvalverde.
2007 L’AMI. 10th Mistakes at the second Becher’s and faded from three out. 2008 BUTLER’S CABIN. Fell at 22nd Full of running when he fell at the same fence that saw Clan Royal carried out.
2009 BUTLER’S CABIN. 7th Game up for the 7-1 favourite after an error four out. 2010 DON’T PUSH IT. Won Fifteenth time lucky as he beat Black Apalachi by five lengths on his 10-1 joint favourite.
2011 DON’T PUSH IT. 3rd Ran gallantly and kept on late to be third, 15 lengths behind Ballabriggs. 2012 SYNCHRONISED. Fell at 6th A low point as his Gold Cup winner fell at the sixth fence but suffered fatal injury galloping loose. 2013 COLBERT STATION. Unseated rider at 15th Had done little wrong before exiting at The Chair.
2014 DOUBLE SEVEN. 3rd The 10-1 joint-favourite found the trip a step too far.