she has been at his side through the highs and lows of tony mccoy's incredible career since they first met nearly 20 years ago and today was no different for chanelle as she watched her husband  make his final cheltenham festival appearance she was going through her own emotional journey as the legendary jockey galloped through the field   desperately trying to clinch his third gold cup before his retirement from the sport in april but the joy of victory they have both become accustomed to turned to sadness as he crossed the finish line in ninth place over the last two decades, mccoy has dominated horse racing with 19 career championships and 31 winners at cheltenham alone scroll down for video  passion: tony mccoy's wife chanelle (left) passionately willed him on to claim his third gold cup victory  heartbroken: but her relentless optimism soon turned to sheer sadness as her husband crossed the finish like in ninth place  anticlimax: championship jockey tony mccoy could not crown his final cheltenham festival with a gold cup win  final days: mccoy said he would retire at the end of the 2014/15 season and his final racecourse appearance will be the bet365 gold cup meeting at sandown in april 2015  today, he was cheered on by a roaring crowd and even royalty such as princess anne, her son peter, zara philips and her husband   rugby world cup winner mike tindall a host of famous faces including musical director andrew lloyd webber, football commentator john motson and professional dancer ola jordan were also in attendance among the frenzied crowd but mccoy could not produce the glorious ending they all wanted   losing out to eventual winner coneygree ridden by nico de boinville but the 40 year old who is widely regarded as the greatest jockey of all time will still end of the season as champion for the 20th consecutive time an emotional mccoy admitted after jump racing's biggest meet that the cheltenham festival will never be the same for him again after receiving a special presentation in the winner's enclosure, he said: 'it's disappointing that i won't ever be riding at the festival again 'that's something i never wanted to think would happen it was not something i was ever going to look forward to, that's for sure it's going to be very different when i come back here next year 'there'll be some sadness when i do come back not as a jockey, but i love a sport that's been very good to me cheltenham is an amazing place with amazing people' royalty: zara phillips was among the roaring crowd willing tony mccoy to claim his third gold cup at cheltenham  enthusiasm: even princess anne (right) could not hide her excitement as she watched the gold cup  cheltenham: famous faces like musical director andrew lloyd webber and rugby world cup winner mike tindall (pictured) were in attendance on the final day of the festival  popular: jump racing's most famous meeting is also a favourite for royalty   as princess anne's son mark philips (left) proved  celebrity: former professional footballer robbie savage (left) and his wife sarah (right) were just some of the famous faces to attend the fourth day of cheltenham  roaring crowd: businesswoman lady carole gray bamford obe was one of thousands in attendance on the final day at cheltenham  support: musical director andrew lloyd webber also turned up for the chilly and damp day at cheltenham  mccoy said: 'i knew when we got here this morning we were in trouble he's a horse that likes good ground and  he doesn't like it when it turns into a drag  'it was an unbelievable performance from a novice chaser he got them at it early and stuck at it well' 'this is something i'm really going to miss,' added mccoy who was given a reception fit for a champion after the last race at cheltenham just as in the previous three days, the northern irishman who has stood head and shoulders above the competition for 20 years was saluted before and after every race but on his this chilly and damp afternoon, the man who has ridden over 4,300 winners finished 'unplaced' on his gold cup hope carlingford lough champion: mccoy lost the gold cup to eventual winner coneygree ridden by nico de boinville (pictured) humble: the gold cup winner sais: 'it's the best feeling ever the weather gods were looking down on us and the ground was ideal' honoured: after receiving a special presentation in the winner's enclosure (pictured), mccoy said: 'it's disappointing that i won't ever be riding at the festival again  tribute: despite not winning his final gold cup race, the man who has ridden over 4,300 winners over his career was given a sending off fit for a champion  he said: 'it's probably just now that it's hit me that i won't be riding at the festival ever again that's quite tough' mccoy will bow out with 31 cheltenham festival winners to his name, the first coming in 1996 and his final one on thursday with a fine ride on uxizandre in the ryanair chase the 40 year old said it was the 'adrenaline rush' from wins like that he would miss the most, adding: 'it was brilliant for uxizandre to give me the thrill i got looking back on his cheltenham memories, mccoy picked out his second gold cup win on synchronised in 2012   15 years after his first on mr mulligan   as the best moment
ninth gold cup tony mccoy cheltenham cup chanelle third
tony mccoy couldn't claim victory in his final cheltenham cup appearance  his wife chanelle passionately cheered him to claim third gold cup victory  but she became visibly tearful watching him cross the finish line in ninth place  a roaring crowd, royalty and famous faces attended final day of the event  'it's an amazing place with amazing people,' an emotional tony mccoy said 