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Tony McCoy open to Shutthefrontdoor's Grand National chance

Sir Anthony McCoy has pinpointed Shutthefrontdoor, the horse who failed to give him a fairytale send-off into retirement last April, as one of the horses most likely to win this year's Crabbie's Grand National on April 9.

The 20-times champion jockey, who famously won the great race at the 15th attempt on Don't Push It in 2010, chose the Jonjo O'Neill-trained chaser last season when aiming to go out on the biggest high possible.

For much of the near-four-and-a-half-mile trip, the pair looked like pulling off one of the greatest endings to a career in sport, but eventually faded into fifth behind Many Clouds.

McCoy feels, along with stablemate Holywell, O'Neill has two well-handicapped horses to head into battle.

"There was a lot of fulfilment winning the Grand National. It was winning that which helped me to win the Sports Personality of the Year," said McCoy at the National weights lunch in London.

"The Grand National did have an influence on my career, it's the biggest horse race in the world and the most famous, and riders that were better than me like Jonjo O'Neill, Peter Scudamore and John Francome didn't win it.

"There is no feeling like winning the Grand National. So many millions watch it around the world and as a jockey there is no bigger day to win a horse race.

"If I go down this year's list I think Shutthefrontdoor will run a big race.

"I do like Holywell, too - if he is in the right frame of mind he is a very capable horse. He has not shown it yet this season, but that is the time of year he shows it.

"He could perform well in it."


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