Ap Voted The Real Mccoy In Online Poll

WILLIAMHILL.COM USERS VOTE AP THE ‘REAL MCCOY’ IN LEGENDS POLL

Despite missing out on BBC Sports Personality recognition, Racing fans have honoured National Hunt phenomenon Tony McCoy in a recent online poll conducted by Bookmakers William Hill.

The poll saw 2500 sports fans log on to www.williamhill.com to take part in a poll to find history’s greatest sporting icons, and induct their favourite stars into the William Hill Sporting Icons lounge at Kempton Park.

McCoy took 38% of the votes in the ‘National Hunt Legend’ category, almost 30% more than his nearest rival. The 14-time Champion will now be honoured with a tribute on the 'Sporting Icons' wall of the new lounge, due to open on Boxing Day, the first day of the William Hill Winter Festival meeting.

Sea the Stars claimed another accolade taking the ‘Flat Horses’ category, in a short-head finish with Shergar, and Red Rum turned-in a surprising performance outflanking Desert Orchid by 20% to take the ‘National Hunt Horse’ award.

In the Flat Legends section, Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori were head-to-head throughout, with the ‘Long Fellow’ scraping home from the flamboyant Italian to take the title.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’we were astounded by how popular our poll was with 2500 voters, and some heated debates raging in the comment posts! McCoy may have been overlooked by the Beeb, but Racing fans have flocked to honour him’’

The definitive list boasted some other ‘banker’ winners with Muhammad Ali taking the Boxing title with stylish ease, and Tiger Woods polling almost half of the votes in the Golfing Icons category.

The winner of each category will be honoured with a tribute in the new William Hill Sporting Icons Lounge due to open on Boxing Day, the first day of the William Hill Winter Festival.

GREATEST RACING ICONS (AS VOTED BY USERS OF WWW.WILLIAMHILL.COM)

Flat Race Horse – Sea The Stars (28%), 2nd Shergar (19%), 3rd Nijinsky (8%)

National Hunt Race Horse – Red Rum (36%), 2nd Desert Orchid (16%), 3rd Kauto Star (13%)

National Hunt – Tony McCoy (38%), 2nd Ruby Walsh (8.33%), 3rd Martin Pipe (8.23%)

Flat – Lester Piggott (36%), 2nd Frankie Dettori (29% 3rd Vincent O’Brien (7%)