AP McCoy is champion jockey for 18th time
The curtain closed on a thrilling National Hunt season on Saturday (27 April) and the worthy champions of 2012-13 were crowned.
AP McCoy received a remarkable 18th consecutive champion jockey title, for winning 185 races.
AP was at Sandown Park racecourse to collect his trophy, but has been out of the saddle for nearly two weeks after a fall at Cheltenham left him with broken ribs.
He will now miss the beginning of the new season (which started yesterday, Sunday 28 April) but he’s set on conquering his next target — reaching 4000 winners. He’s only 125 wins away.
The conditionals title was a closely fought battle, but was a historic win for 22-year-old Lucy Alexander from Fife who became the first female jockey to win the champion conditional title.
Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson won the champion trainers’ race for the first time since 1987. Since then the title race has been dominated by Martin Pipe and Paul Nicholls. But stars such as Champion Chase winner Sprinter Sacre, and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth helped make it a memorable season for 62-year-old Henderson.
JP McManus took the title of champion owner. Top winners carrying his famous green and gold silks included At Fishers Cross and My Tent Or Yours. AP McCoy collected the award on behalf of JP, which was presented by dual gold medal winning Paralympic rider Natasha Baker [pictured].
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A parade of champions also took place at Sandown where Kauto Star, Cue Card, Zarkandar, Simonsig,Captain Conan, Sprinter Sacre and Bobs Worth all strutted their stuff for the crowds.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.