Horse Racing Personalities

With cold weather and heavy snow having gripped much of the UK in December 2010, the King George VI Chase which is normally held on Boxing Day has been delayed until 15th January 2011. There promises to be some horse racing personalities making the headlines in the new year race.

One famous jockey to have won the King George VI Chase and the only jockey to have won the Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, is the 15 time champion jockey Tony McCoy. He won the award ahead of (the 15 times world darts champion) Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor with 41% of the votes. Tony McCoy has a 25% win rate based on his 3,383 wins from 13,664 rides, he admits to dreaming of reaching 4000 wins. Tony McCoy won the Grand National in 2010 on Don’t Push It and the Champion Hurdle on Binocular is a very self disciplined professional (being noted for not drinking or smoking) said of winning the award “I am dazed. To stand in front of the great athletes I was standing in front of is not something you think is ever going to happen in your life”.

Having won the King George VI Chase on the much loved Best Mate in 2002, along with his friend Ruby Walsh who rode Kauto Star in to victory in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 there are plenty of horse racing personalities in the new year race to make it an exciting one. It can be argued that Kauto Star has surpassed the much loved Desert Orchid’s achievement as the most successful horse at Kempton Park. Having won the King George VI Chase four consecutive times, if Kauto Star wins the race this year it will be an incredible five wins in a row! With an exceptional team of trainer Paul Nicholls (who has trained six champions) and jockey Ruby Walsh he was firm favourite for the 2009 race, it is therefore not surprising Kauto Star is favourite again.