But he later broke his promise and came out of retirement earlier this month to compete in the Leger Legends charity contest at Doncaster.
Unsurprisingly, he ended up winning.
And as it turns out, it was not to be his last appearance in the saddle at a public event.
He was back in the saddle during a special homecoming event in Moneyglass, County Antrim, on Saturday.
The difference this time was the 20-time champion's choice of mount and the event.
The 41-year-old was back in the village where he spent his childhood to take part in a donkey derby.
Also taking part were the boxing world champions Barry McGuigan and Eamon Magee and Northern Ireland record goal scorer David Healy.
So did the champion jockey continue his winning form that he set at Doncaster earlier this month?
Alas not, the derby was won by Barry McGuigan.
When the record-breaking jump jockey AP McCoy retired in April, he vowed that would be his last race.