Grand National winner Tony McCoy hit by phone fine
McCoy has ridden over 3,000 winners in a glittering career
Tony McCoy was brought back to earth after his victory in Saturday's Grand National when police fined him for using his mobile phone while driving.
The champion jockey rode Don't Push It to his first win in 15 attempts in the showpiece event at Aintree.
But the next morning, McCoy was stopped by police for sharing the news with his mother on the phone when in his car.
Despite a £30 fine and three-point penalty, McCoy still posed for photos with the officers and passers-by.
McCoy, who was stopped shortly after leaving Aintree in Merseyside, told BBC 5 Live: "My wife and the lad who normally drives me had been drinking, so I ended up driving the car.
"I couldn't get hold of my mother at any stage after the race and luckily I got hold of her on the phone. Unfortunately the police didn't take too kindly to it and gave me three points.
"Obviously a lot of people noticed on the way past and they all wanted photographs so we ended up having a few with the policemen."
McCoy's victory in Saturday's Grand National on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Don't Push It, owned by millionaire gambler JP McManus, crowned a glittering career for the 14-time champion jockey from County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
He celebrated his win with a plate of chips - a luxury for him as he is always watching his weight.
And after the teetotaller partied into the small hours, he drove more than 150 miles to O'Neill's stable in Gloucestershire on Sunday to see the horse which had given him his long-awaited National win.
He was then flown by helicopter to Southwell race course in Nottinghamshire and was in the saddle for three rides, winning on the 8-11 favourite Aberdale.
The 35-year-old has ridden more than 3,000 winners but the closest he had come to Grand National victory prior to Saturday was three third-place finishes.
With a 15th straight crown in the offing this season, McCoy underlined the importance of now having a Grand National win on his CV.
"It's the race all jockeys want to win. I've been spoilt all through my career that I've been lucky enough to win every other race," he said.
"But it doesn't matter how lucky you are or how good other people think you are, you've got no divine right to win the Grand National."
Bookmark with:
What are these?