Last night Tony McCoy ensured our cherished sport of horse racing was thrust right under the gaze of the wider sporting public when he won BBC Sports Personality of the Year. A massive public relations coup for Racing For Change, but ultimately it was undeniably well-deserved recognition for the Ulsterman.

McCoy received 42 per cent of the overall vote, and almost twice as many votes as last year’s winner Ryan Giggs, as the general public rallied behind the record-breaking champion jockey. Speaking to the BBC after the awards ceremony, McCoy said: “To win the Grand National is what I’ve always wanted, it is the biggest horserace in our sport…. To get that sort of recognition from the general public is just wonderful – for both the sport and myself. I can’t describe how I am feeling, but I hope it does some good for racing.”

You’ll find words of congratulations all over the sporting press today, so I thought I would simply say “chapeau Sir” and post a tribute video from At The Races filmed after he had achieved his 3,000 Winners mark.