Have you been to the cinema recently, or maybe you are a regular? In either case, you will want to put a date in your diary four weeks from now when the movie Being AP hits the big screen.

Many racegoers will have been aware of cameras following A.P. McCoy during what proved to be the last season he rode, but these were not crews associated with the various racing channels. They were a team allowed unique access to McCoy and his family and the result is a captivating documentary which chronicles the ups and downs of the time.

I have used the word captivating carefully as this is a movie that will engender a wide range of emotions and reactions. It is a rare and insightful look at a genius at work, and very occasionally at play. It is a warts and all delve into the mind of a singularly determined man who put winning on racehorses ahead of everything else, even his family.

Success comes at all sorts of costs, and at various times in the 100 minutes that you are glued to the screen you will feel uncomfortable. This does not revolve around the bruising and damaging falls that will leave their permanent scars and aches, but on how determined A.P. is to succeed and how that success does not translate into happiness, but rather leading to raising the bar even higher.

Truth is that A.P. was addicted to winning and you are left wondering and worrying about how he would cope in a life without racing. He speaks at length about never really ever being content, and there is a telling lunch encounter with his wife Chanelle when she speaks with him about the possibility of retiring. His reaction is swift and it is clear that the prospect is not then on his radar.

SPORTSMEN

In spite of being one of a handful of what we can truly call the greatest sportsmen of all time, A.P. is incredibly hard on himself and he points out that while he rode the most winners ever, he also rode the most losers. This aspect of the movie is sad and depressing. In a poignant part of the movie A.P. talks darkly about when his racing career would end, indicating that this scenario was far removed from something he wished to consider.

This is a unique look into the mind of a true sporting icon and it is both enlightening and scary. You will see few documentaries to better it.