"Iconic Jockey Shocks Fans with Comeback on Former Willie Mullins Horse at Newbury Gallops!"

Table of Contents

• Surprise Return of AP McCoy
• Paggane's Performance
• AP McCoy's Comeback Thoughts
• Gamble Responsibly

Legendary jockey AP McCoy made an unexpected return to racing when he rode an ex-Willie Mullins star at Newbury’s gallops morning.

The 20-time champion demonstrated that he still possesses all his former brilliance aboard the former Closutton horse, Paggane.

Punter favorite AP McCoy is more commonly seen as a pundit on ITV Racing nowadays but was back in the saddle for the Newbury gallops morning.Credit: Rex

A three-time winner, the six-year-old mare Paggane switched to Faye Bramley during the summer.

She showed improvement in her first three races, finishing a neck second at 50-1 in a Chepstow handicap hurdle, before securing her first win for her new trainer at Carlisle earlier this month.

Sent off as the 13-8 favorite under Harry Cobden, she cruised home by nine-and-a-half lengths to claim the Listed mares’ chase.

She still appeared quite capable under the renowned AP drive.

Paggane pulled well ahead of fellow Bramley runner Amancia in the initial race.

While it was fantastic to witness one of the greatest jockeys ever back on a racehorse, don’t anticipate his return to the sport full-time.

He did contemplate making a comeback for the 2017 Cheltenham Festival after retiring two years earlier.

A prime opportunity on Minella Rocco in the Gold Cup tempted him after Barry Geraghty was sidelined due to injury.

However, some firm words from his wife quickly dashed that dream.

He remarked: “I have no regrets about retiring at all, but I did think about coming out of retirement to ride Minella Rocco in the Gold Cup.

“He was a horse from Jonjo O’Neill’s stable that I really liked, and Barry got injured just before the Gold Cup.

“I went up to Jonjo’s to school him one morning two or three weeks before the Festival, and I thought I’d love to ride this horse in the Gold Cup.

“I got home and told my wife Chanelle, and she simply said ‘wise up’.

“That was it, it was over!”

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