Why Champ is the pick of the SPOTY market leaders at a price
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It won’t be until long after the warm glow of the summer sun has vanished that the latest recipient of the BBC’s fabled Sports Personality of the Year award is announced, but even with seven months of the year left it’s worth delving into the market.
Understandably at this early juncture, the principle fancies to collect the gong are tightly bunched. However, one man from the three favourites, jockey AP McCoy, has a stand-out case for glory over his rivals:
That the Mercedes driver is the reigning SPOTY champ puts him at the top of the list of 2015 candidates, despite his current F1 season being just three races old.
Granted, the 30-year-old’s two victories in those outings indicate another World Championship tilt is on the cards, but would the voting public side with the Stevenage native among a stronger field of candidates?
Arguably only Rory McIlroy provided competition last year and was probably a more deserving winner having landed two Majors and the Ryder Cup, so Hamilton’s status as favourite is far from firm.
What has become abundantly clear during his final season in the British jumps racing game, is that McCoy has captured the nation’s heart with the announcement of his retirement.
Beyond the romance of rewarding the greatest jockey ever likely to grace the sport with his second SPOTY trophy, the Northern Irishman has compiled a predictably strong dossier for winning anyway.
By the time he signs of on his final season at Sandown later in the month, McCoy will have won his 20th consecutive Champion Jockey title, doing so with the most number of winners since he landed his eighth title in 2003.
That his achievements would have long been forgotten by December is his only obstacle.
Like Hamilton, Murray’s position so high up the market is another false one considering it’s based on assumptions rather than accomplishments.
The Scot has reached the Australian Open final already this season, but the defeat he suffered to Novak Djokovic in that showpiece has become a theme for the campaign.
A haul of multiple Grand Slams looks to be Murray’s only path to glory come December.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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