McCoy's final festival
It was hard not to feel sorry for Michael Scudamore – his first Festival winner, Next Sensation, was being completely overshadowed by a man who had finished fourth.
No ordinary man, but the great AP McCoy, who rode Ned Buntline in the race that carried his name, the AP McCoy Grand Annual Chase. It was McCoy's final ride at The Cheltenham Festival, and, while there was a sense of disappointment that he did not end on a winner, the crowd cheered him all the way back to the scales. Never has the final-race at any Festival drawn such a vast crowd to the winner's enclosure.
After weighing in, McCoy mounted the winner's rostrum, as three cheers rang out. Cheltenham chairman Robert Waley-Cohen presented a book recounting magic McCoy moments at Cheltenham.
McCoy said: "The crowd cheered me all the way to the start and all the way back in – the people are amazing, but I feel quite guilty because Next Sensation won the race. All congrats to him, but it was very emotional coming back in – everyone is being so sporting. There are so many great people involved in this sport and I'm going to miss days like this, that's for sure.
"I feel I'm a very lucky person to have done what I've done and to have the life I've had. It's a privilege to live my life through my hobby. I'll never forget the reception I've been given today – it is people like this I'm going to miss."
McCoy, who said winning the Betfred Gold Cup on Synchronised in 2012 was his personal Cheltenham highlight, added: "I'm going to miss the competitiveness of racing and winning, but that doesn't mean I won't come back to The Festival.
"There will be sadness when I do come back but the sport has been good to me – I will be happy to come back as a spectator."
Star of the sport receives rousing ovation as he completes his last ever race at The Festival