McCoy reflects on National glory Tony McCoy admits he is still in disbelief following his glorious first success in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. A trio of third-place finishes was the best the 14-times champion jockey had achieved in 14 previous attempts, but he finally snapped the losing run on Don't Push It for boss and leading owner JP McManus. "It was an amazing day and it's very surreal, the emotion was something I've never felt before as a jockey," said McCoy. "Whether it was relief or something else, I just can't explain what it was. "I've been lucky enough to have been champion jockey for the last 14 years and I've always felt that if I worked hard enough I had control over being champion jockey. "Whereas the Grand National comes around once a year, you need lots of luck, be on the right horse and there are 40 runners, and I've never felt I have any control over something like that. "Each time you don't win the Grand National you start thinking you're never going to win it, but when you have another go you want to convince yourself that you could do it. It's unreal now I have." McCoy had the choice of four horses to ride for JP McManus and admits the decision to come down on the side of Don't Push It was made after plenty of help from trainer Jonjo O'Neill. "King Johns Castle had finished second two years ago and I thought about riding him but his form has been very in and out," the jockey told BBC Radio Five Live. "Arbor Supreme, from a handicapper's point of view, was the best horse, but I just thought he might not be the ideal Grand National horse in terms of jumping. "Then the two horses of Jonjo's, Can't Buy Time and Don't Push It, were the last two I had to choose from and if I'm perfectly honest I think my trainer was pretty keen on Don't Push It. "He didn't tell me and didn't argue with me as to which one I should ride, but he made it relatively clear which one he would ride if he had the choice." Despite the long losing run, McCoy insists his preparation had gone the same as in previous years. "I didn't really do anything different this year, other than maybe telling myself I was going to enjoy it a little bit more," the jockey continued. "I'm one of those people who don't enjoy anything unless you win, but I tried to tell myself to enjoy it and if I did get a good ride round maybe I could win the Grand National. "I don't think I do anything different in the lead up to any horse race, but something different definitely happened on Saturday. "I had a strange feeling very early on in the race that the horse was really enjoying what he was doing and that I could win the Grand National, but you've got to keep your concentration. "The more I got that feeling the more I got the buzz and I was just really enjoying what was happening." Having already won multiple championships, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and now the Grand National, McCoy seemingly has little more to achieve, but he remains as driven as ever. "Unfortunately I'm one of those people that very much lives in the future and not the past," he added. "I'd love to have a go at winning the Grand National again next year but I'm going to Southwell today for three rides, so that will cause me to come back to earth pretty quickly."
