McCoy's No1 record

More importantly, Dunwoody was exactly like McCoy in that he brought to his sport an intensity and a ruthless professionalism best summed up by the American maxim which dictates that second sucks.

Reliable sources suggest that McCoy attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year bash a couple of years ago with a slightly puzzled look on his face.

"What's he won?" was the recurring question as a series of worthy runners-up and also-rans were lauded ahead of him.

The question wasn't asked out of arrogance so much as genuine surprise that anyone should be rewarded for failing to come out on top. And Dunwoody, who has thrown himself into polar expeditions and triathlons since retiring from the saddle, has every sympathy for a former colleague whose obsessive drive for perfection seems to burn brighter every season.

Dunwoody hails his natural successor as "a man who makes the difference between victory and defeat week in, week out" and has no doubt that McCoy could set a record which will never be challenged if Lady Luck smiles on him. "Tony and I are both from Northern Ireland, and I think we have that natural stubborn streak which makes you think that no task is impossible once you give everything you have to it," he said.

"It took me 17 seasons of hard graft to get to 1,699, so it's amazing to think that he's done it in around half that time and I take my hat off to him.

"We had some wonderful battles when I was riding, but my life won't change just because the record is broken.

"Staying healthy is the key for Tony now. If his luck with injuries holds for the next few years then there's every chance that he could get up towards 3,000 winners, and I'm pretty sure that no one will ever threaten that sort of total in our lifetime."

McCoy has been keen to play down the recent hype, but after a hectic Bank Holiday weekend which covered four meetings and over a 1000 miles, he equalled Dunwoody's record aboard Dream With Me in today's opening race at Uttoxeter and broke it when Mighty Montefalco landed the following event.

"Richard's record means a hell of a lot to me simply because he was the greatest jockey I've ever ridden against," McCoy said.

"To get past his total has to be my greatest achievement. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I wouldn't be half the jockey I am today without him to learn from on the way up."

Former top trainer Jenny Pitman is one of several observers who have suggested that the intensity McCoy brings to one of the most dangerous sports around could lead to burn-out as he approaches 30.

The man himself takes a completely different view, and the bad news for his weighing-room colleagues is that there will be no let-up now that Dunwoody's record has fallen.

"People talk about burn-out, but I have the best job in the world," he said. "Everything in my life away from the track is geared to helping me ride as many winners as possible and I feel as if I'll only reach my peak in two or three years from now."

Despite having won virtually every big race in the jumping calendar, there are still plenty of targets to aim at. Dunwoody rightly points out that his wins on West Tip and Miinnehoma leave him 2-0 up in terms of Grand National winners, and an Aintree success figures very highly on McCoy's wish list.

However, it may come as a surprise to hear that McCoy would willingly trade a few of his big successes if he could only realise one secret ambition.

"If you gave me one free wish then I have to say that scoring a goal for Arsenal at Highbury would be right up there at the top of the list," he said.

A bit of coaching from his good friends Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler might help him along the way - and perhaps the great Mr Jennings would even add his advice if that old ball ever comes out of the cupboard again.