Sarah Todd: Let's all back a true winner for this year's BBC sports crown

Don't tell The Husband, but this very amateur punter has an account at the bookmakers.

It started a couple of Grand Nationals ago when there was no time to get in to town to put a bet on. How easy, to be able to telephone.

When one considers His absences on the rugby pitch, or sampling guest ales down at the village pub, the odd fiver each-way hardly registers as a vice.

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The company that holds my account (makes me sound like the late Queen Mother) sent around a circular to say that jockey Tony (better known as AP) McCoy is now odds-on favourite to be crowned this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

It would only blight his chances if this amateur gambler had a flutter on him, so she'll instead see if she can gee-up Country Week readers to support him.

McCoy has ridden over 3,000 winners in his career. His chief rival is seen to be golfer Graeme McDowell, who has been given the lion's share of the credit for Europe reclaiming the Ryder Cup.

It made me smile to read somewhere that while the jockey is famous for managing to stay two stone below his natural weight, McDowell is recognised for staying two stone above.

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McCoy's hollow cheeks – the mother in me wants to feed him roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, then sponge and custard for afters – can make him appear stern. But surely few will be able to watch the replays of his joy at winning this year's Grand National without being moved by the man behind the tough guy image. He's been continual champion jump jockey every year since 1995, but it took 15 attempts to win the people's race at Aintree. To get there he has notched up over 13,000 races, covering the equivalent of 31,000 miles or 1.25 times around the Earth. He's had over 680 falls and broken nearly every bone in his body, including vertebrae.

While most sports stars have luxury treatment all the way, jockeys often have the most basic of facilities. They are a very long way down the food chain. A million miles away from our overpaid excuse of a national football team. There was no driver for McCoy on the way home from this year's Grand National victory. Otherwise he wouldn't have got pulled over by the police for phoning his mum, and he ended this special day with three points on his licence.

Calling his mum. What a grand chap he must be. Racing might not be your be your cup of tea, but the chances are that if you're reading this, you admire a hard-working country lad.

A shortlist of 10 nominations for BBC Sports Personality of the Year will be revealed during Monday's edition of The One Show. The winner will be decided by a phone vote during the live awards show on Sunday, December 19.

CW 27/11/10

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