A day after announcing his intention to retire from the saddle, A.P. McCoy paid what everyone knew would be his last visit to Leopardstown as a jump jockey.

On a crisp and bright February afternoon he had four booked mounts and his best chance of a winner was 11/10 favourite Alvisio Ville in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle. That one was well stuffed. And when Jarry D’Honneur unshipped the champ in the next, you just hoped McCoy wouldn’t end up retired prematurely through injury.