He had waited two whole months for his favourite horse to run at the Cheltenham Festival, so little Archie McCoy was determined to make the most of it.
The six-year-old son of 20-times champion jockey AP McCoy was at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, when Champ fell with a race in the bag.
The youngster left the racecourse an unhappy chap, but weeks later the smile was back on his face as the 4/1 shot motored home in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase.
As Minella Indo and Allaho traded blows up front at the final fence, Champ hit 399/1 in-running as he seemed booked for third.
But the famous hill has caught many out before, but not Champ, as Archie, his dad, owner JP McManus and trainer Nicky Henderson roared the Grade One winner home.
After the chaser returned to the winners’ enclosure, jockey Barry Geraghty lifted Archie up to see the re-run on the big screen.
He then picked up the trophy from the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall, holding it up proudly for the racecourse photographers.
“It was magic because he has a very special affection towards the horse, because Champ was stabled in our yard for about nine months,” his mum Chanelle said.
“He knows the horse was named after AP as a lot of the jockeys used to call him Champ when he was riding.
“He has followed the horse through his career and accumulated a few trophies in his bedroom, Mr McManus has let him keep a few of them.
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“He loved it on the podium as he was here on New Year’s Day when the horse fell and he was upset.
“It’s extra special when the success is here at The Festival.”
Earlier he had told ITV Racing presenter Oli Bell he would like to be a dirt bike rider- and did not fancy being a jockey like his father, who rode more than 4,000 winners in a stellar career.
Geraghty, wearing the top jockey’s armband which may not come off with more good rides to come, said it was tricky for Champ on the racing surface.
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“He was on the back foot the whole way and the ground was very tacky,” he said.
“It’s hard work and JP (McManus) rang me this morning at 8am and said, ‘It might be a bit better out wider’.
“So I went that way and he was right.
“It was all about keeping a rhythm and trying not to ask too many questions.
“This is a great race to win, you long to win the Grade Ones at The Festival and I thought I had no chance at the last, but I was soon in the money.”
