McCoy will be even more desperate in 2010 as the clock continues to tick by and the nearly 36-year-old Irish-born sporting great is very well aware that he may only have a handful of chances left to achieve his goal. It took the great Sir Gordon Richards 26 attempts before he finally won the Epsom Derby, but the career of a National Hunt jockey is far shorter than that of a flat jockey and McCoy knows the sands of time are running out.

His last five rides in the world’s greatest steeplechase demonstrate the frustration he must feel. In 2005, six lengths clear on Clan Royal and going strongly at Becher’s second time around, McCoy was suddenly hampered by a loose horse a few strides from the fence and his mount was forced to refuse. The frustration must have been unbearable. The following year he teamed up again with Clan Royal and the pair came home 3rd behind Numbersixvalverde.

In 2007 McCoy completed the course in 10th position on board classy French raider L’Ami, then in 2008 it was again Becher’s on the second circuit that proved his undoing, when travelling strongly with the leaders on Butlers Cabin, the pairing fell. Last year, back aboard Butlers Cabin, McCoy was prominent for much of the race before his mount faded from the last to finish 7th.

Although yet to confirm which horse he will ride for grand national entries 2010, McCoy has the option of a number of horses owned by JP McManus, including 2008 runner-up King John’s Castle, together with live hopes Don’t Push It and Arbor Supreme. There is also the possibility of a big outside ride should the McManus trio not take their chance on the big day.

Many racing fans across the world will be hoping when it comes to 2010 Grand National race time that 2010 is at last the year when AP McCoy will add his name to the list of winning Grand National jockeys.

This was part of an incredible winning streak for Geraghty who only three weeks earlier had been the winning jockey at the Cheltenham Festival with five wins. In between the two meetings he had alos come fifth in the Midlands National at Uttoexeter which might not sound fantastic until you realise that his saddle had slipped and he rode bareback over the last three fences!

And then, the day before the National, he won the £46,000 Martell Cognac Sefton Novices Hurdle on Iris’s Gift, trained by Jonjo O’Neill which has to be considered a pretty impressive week by any jockeys standards!

The Geraghty family have been involved with horse racing for generations, his father being the renowned horse dealer ‘Tucker’ Geraghty and his brothers Ross and Norman are also jockeys. Geraghty was apprenticed to Noel Meade at Castetown, in his home town of Meath, at the age of 17 and rode his first winner under Rules, Stagalier at Down Royal. It took only three years for him to became the Irish Champion Jump Jockey for the first time.

His first Grand National appearance was in 2000 on Call it a Day but the horse was not on good form and he went off at 50-1, while Geraghty’s great friend and rival Ruby Walsh rode Papillon, a 10-1 chance. Walsh won, while Geraghty came a respectable sixth.

He won in 2003 and rode Monty’s Pass again in 2004 but came in 4th and again in 2005 finishing 16th. Under Martin Pipe he rode Puntal in 2006 and finished 6th, came 3rd in 2007 on Slim Pickings, 4th in 2008 on the same horse and in 2009 partnered with Golden Flight but fell at the first fence!

Over all he has had quite an astounding record at the Grand National so 2010 shouldn’t be any different. If he gets a good horse with suitable conditions he could be in for his second victory…

For all of the ante-post odds for the Grand National 2010 just check out Paddy power Bookmakers.