McCoy set to partner Shutthefrontdoor

Tony McCoy admits he is likely to ride Shutthefrontdoor in the Grand National and will probably end his career at Sandown.

The 40-year-old has announced that this would be his last season in racing and speculation has been mounting as to exactly when and where the legendary jockey will call time on his career.

Victory at Aintree would probably see the Northern Irishman hang up his riding boots there and then and he confessed that there is every chance that Jonjo O’Neill‘s charge will be his mount in Liverpool.

“I’m very likely to ride Shutthefrontdoor but I won’t commit finally until close to declaration time – there is plenty of time yet for something to go wrong,” he told The Times.

“I’m not sure he should be such a short price, and it’s a long time since he ran, but something would have to happen for me to switch from him.

“His trainer (Jonjo O’Neill) has a fantastic record with staying chasers and the horse is obviously in good form.”

And after ruling himself out of the Punchestown Festival, the 19-time champion jockey admits he is likely to bring down the curtain on his glittering career at the Esher venue – unless he goes out with a bang on Merseyside.

“If I don’t win it, I’ll go on until Sandown,” he added. “It’s the end of the British season and they have been good enough to name a race after me (the bet365 AP McCoy Celebration Chase).

“I did have some thoughts about Punchestown, the following week, but I definitely won’t be riding there. If I did that, I might just as well carry on and I won’t be doing that.”