Northern Ireland has its fair share of sporting greats. In boxing and snooker they have had world champions, a number one golfer and one of the greatest footballers to ever kick a ball. However, none of them remained at the top of their sport for as long as Tony McCoy.
Tony McCoy, was born on 4 May 1974 and grew up in the village of Moneyglass, County Antrim.
A 20 year career has seen him win every major trophy in UK horseracing, some titles he has claimed on several occasions and is widely seen as the best National Hunt Jockey of all time.
As a teenager, he learned his craft in Ireland, as an apprentice to County Kilkenny racehorse trainer, Jim Bolger.
Chickabiddy was the name of his first horse, which he rode to victory in 1994 at Exeter.
Few would have predicted that since that first race, he would go on to go over 4,000 career wins. With his nearest rival Richard Johnston, sitting on 2,500 victories this makes his tally even more remarkable.
For 18 Consecutive seasons McCoy has been crowned the Champion Jockey, the award given annually to UK horseracings leading rider.
Even with all this success there was always one prize that alluded the multiple champion, the Grand National. It was a nagging feeling that this was the one missing trophy from his cabinet and he rectified this in April 2010 at his 15th attempt to win the UK’s most watched race.
Later that year he won BBC sports personality of the year, the only jockey to do so.
His continued success is perhaps all the more impressive considering horseracing is one of the world's most dangerous sports around, McCoy has not escaped lightly, breaking almost every bone in his body. Including his leg, arm, ankle, both wrists, shoulder, blades, collar bones, cheekbones and all of his ribs.
"From the first day I've been riding, I've convinced myself I'm unbreakable, the amount of times I've been in the ambulance it is obviously not true. I kind of think I'm like a cat with nine lives sometimes," he told reporters.
In 2011 McCoy was in the ballroom of Buckingham Palace, where he was presented with a OBE from the Queen. Another massive achievement from a true champion.
So is this the finishing post for McCoy? Don't bet on it, as he is still looking over his shoulder at the competition, even if they are very far down the track.
"No matter how successful you are in any sport, and no matter how good you think you are or anyone else thinks you are, there will always be someone who will do better, that is something that I think of every day I go out, in that, I know how ever much I'm lucky enough to keep winning, I know that someone's going to win more than me and that's what motivates me.
"And obviously I love doing what I do."
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