Tony McCoy was unstinting in his praise of Martin Pipe with whom he spent seven years as stable jockey in the earlier part of his illustrious career.

McCoy joined the Nicholashayne trainer in 1997 and the pair bagged plenty of the best National Hunt prizes before the rider made the decision to take up the role as retained jockey for owner JP McManus.

The soon-to-be 20-times champion admitted he had not heard good things about Pipe before agreeing to be his stable jockey, but felt it was better to be on his side rather than struggle to beat him.

So much did he admire the record-breaking 15-times champion jumps trainer that McCoy was determined to beat Pipe's number of career winners.

He achieved that in July last year, galloping past the tally of 4,191 of his friend and mentor.

"When I started riding for Martin Pipe I heard he was very difficult to work for," said McCoy.

"What I did work out was that riding his horses was better than chasing them around!

"After a year it got to the point where he let me do what I wanted.

"I've been very lucky in my career that I have ridden for good people which has made my job and life a lot easier."

The duo enjoyed a welter of big-race success with the likes of Champion Hurdle hero Make A Stand, top stayer Deano's Beano and leading two-mile chaser Well Chief just a handful of those horses who achieved at the highest level.

However, of all their triumphs, McCoy singled out Pridwell's defeat of the mighty Istabraq in the Aintree Hurdle in 1998 as the best ride in his entire career.

Pridwell was renowned as being a tricky customer and while Istabraq held a narrow advantage on the run to the line, McCoy forced his mount back in front for a famous success.

"Pridwell beating Istabraq at Aintree was probably the best ride I have given a horse, (but) people will think about Wichita Lineman at Cheltenham," he said.

"Pridwell was a horse who it was a case getting inside his head as much as it being physical."