Horse racing news: ‘A loss to Irish racing’ – Sir AP McCoy on closure of Thurles Racecourse

Sir AP McCoy has told William Hill that Thurles Racecourse will always hold a special place for him after it was announced this morning that the Irish track is closing.

The 20-time Champion Jockey won his first-ever race at the Tipperary course all the way back in 1992, when Legal Steps scored for Jim Bolger, and the William Hill ambassador has expressed his sadness that the venue will shut its doors with immediate effect.

McCoy on Thurles closure

Speaking to William Hill, McCoy said: “Thurles will always be a special place for me. It’s where I rode my first winner back in 1992 aboard Legal Steps, a second-string of Jim Bolger’s, riding against the likes of Christy Roche and Mick Kinane.

“It’s sad that it’s closing, because I always used to think it was ‘the only all-weather track in Ireland’, because they’d race there no matter what the weather was like!

“It’s very sad to see any racecourse closing and it’s just a sad day.

“You’ve had plenty of good horses winning there over the years, and the likes of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott were never afraid to send their best horses to the track.

“You obviously had Don Cossack, Allaho, and Sizing John win there over the years, and that’s just a testament to the place.

“Rachael Blackmore rode her first winner there too, and it was one of my favourite tracks in Ireland due to having ridden my first winner there.

“It’s a loss to Irish racing and it’s never good to see a track close.”

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