13 March 2023 , 22:00
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Ally McCoist scored 251 goals in 418 appearances for Glasgow Rangers between 1983 and 1998, before making a seamless transition into TV and radio.
But despite his exploits in football, the Scot is also a huge racing fan and displays the same sort of passion that has made him such a fan's favourite in his media work.
McCoist, a member of talkSPORT’s Sports Breakfast (6am-10am) team broadcasting from Cheltenham during the Festival, spoke to Mirror Sport's David Yates about his life — and his love of racing.
How did you get into racing?
I grew up in Calderwood, East Kilbride, near Glasgow. My dad did nights as a fitter and to make up his cash he used to do the board at the local bookies.
I would see him briefly in the morning, he’d go to his bed and then do the board.
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I used to look through the window – I wasn’t allowed in – and my dad would be scrubbing this out and writing with the chalk. 2-1, 7-4, 6-4 – it looked like a very exciting world and I was hooked.
What have been your biggest wins - and most agonising losses?
My first-ever big winner was when my dad and I went to the Friday of the Ayr Gold Cup meeting. I can still remember his face when I was shouting home the winner of the last race – Albert – at 25-1.
He just looked me and said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘You must remember! Albert was the name of our dog!’
My wife Viv backed Angel Alexander to win the Ayr Gold Cup at 28-1 in 2019 because Alexander is the name of my oldest boy.
But there have been agonies. I was a 10-year-old boy when I backed Crisp in the 1973 National. He got overhauled by Red Rum and I thought, ‘If that doesn’t put me off racing, nothing will!’
Was there a wizard with the form book during your playing days?
Quite the opposite! Ian Durrant was a brilliant footballer and won nine titles with Rangers – but he’d struggle to pick the winner of a two-horse race!
Every day, when he came in with his tips, we used to go the opposite way – and we used to make a few quid. Ian, the late Davie Cooper – Davie was a Rangers legend who tragically died at 39 – and me had some great days at the races together.
Ally McCoist (left) with former team-mate Ian Durrant when they were manager and assistant manager at Rangers (Ian MacNicol)How did your passion go down with the Rangers management?
One of my best bosses, Graeme Souness, was never a fan of his players going to the races – if he returned all the fines I had to pay for going to the track, I’d be retired by now!
I was the one who always got caught. The other players would get away with it, but I’d always bump into someone – it could be at Ayr, Perth, Hamilton or Cheltenham – and it would get back to him.
In March 1990, Graeme threw in an extra training session that wasn’t originally planned, and I was already down at Cheltenham. I had to fly back up to Glasgow, train and then fly back down just in time for the last race. I backed Katabatic (right) to win the last race, the Grand Annual, and he did!
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Frankie Dettori (left) and A P McCoy (right); racing heroes of Ally McCoist (PA)Who are your heroes, in and outside racing?
I’m blessed to call Frankie Dettori and AP McCoy very good friends, but that doesn’t blinker me from telling you they were geniuses in the saddle.
Frankie was a rival captain on A Question Of Sport and we’ve remained great friends since then. AP’s last ride was at Sandown and I took the day away from football to watch the greatest of all time’s finest ride.
Kenny Dalglish was my football hero – people might find that strange, because he played for Celtic rather than Rangers. He was the most gifted Scottish player I’ve ever seen – it’s impossible to know what he would be worth in today’s market.
What's it like working alongside talkSPORT's Alan Brazil at Cheltenham?
A privilege – and a challenge! I’ll work with Big Al and Laura Woods during the week. There have never been two more contrasting presenters, but both are equally brilliant.
Laura does an incredible amount of homework – a good bit more than Alan! Big Al has been doing it for 23 years and he’s the person I get asked about more than anybody else.
Whether I’m in London, Manchester or Glasgow, the taxi drivers ask, ‘What’s that Brazil like?’ He’s amazing, and backing his namesake, Brazil, to win at Cheltenham last year – we’d been having some craic with the horse’s owner, JP McManus – is an experience I’ll never forget.
Can I keep up with Big Al (far left) in the Guinness Village? Your readers can work that one out for themselves!
Bravemansgame: the King George winner is Ally McCoist's fancy for the Cheltenham Gold Cup (PA)Who would play you in a film of your life?
With all the madness there has been in my life, it would have to be Jim Carrey!
And, finally, what are your Cheltenham fancies?
Big Al is all over Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup on Friday but I backed Bravemansgame to win the King George on Boxing Day and I’m sticking with him.
Honeysuckle has been good to me and I’ll be with her in the Mares’ Hurdle on Tuesday and Lossiemouth will be the one in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday.