Tony McCoy (photo by racingfotos.com)
Champion jockey Tony McCoy moved on to the 108-winner mark for the season with a fabulous four-timer at Worcester on Wednesday, 27 August 2014, but may feel a hint of disappointment as a further three fancied rides failed to make it an unforgettable evening.
McCoy arrived at Worcester in the knowledge he had a strong book of rides across all seven races on the card, including five favourites, and talk was rife that this could be the night he matched Frankie Dettori’s 1996 achievement by riding all seven winners.
The meeting started in the best possible way for the rider and his supporters, as not once but twice he snatched unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat on his first two rides. In the opening handicap chase, McCoy and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained It Is What It Is overcame two serious mistakes, including one at the final fence, to get the better of Kilcascan in a photo-finish.
He said: “After the mistake at the last I didn’t think he’d get back because he’s not much. I was nearly gone with that first error down the back.”
In the second, McCoy looked to have his work cut out as the David Pipe-trained Barton Stacey laboured but the champion galvanised his mount down the home straight to land the spoils close home. Unfortunately for the jockey, his run came to a premature end with defeat for odds-on favourite Boru’s Brook in the bumper as 16-1 shot Paolozzi bolted up.
The champ was back in the winners’ enclosure with Street Entertainer in the fourth race on the card but defeat for Stonemadforspeed and Bathwick Street sandwiched his fourth winner In The Rough, meaning his wait for a first-ever six-timer goes on.
McCoy said: “Obviously I don’t know much about gambling, but arriving here today if I was going for the spread I’d say three or four winners. Two I’d be disappointed. I’m happy with four, but there will be people out there unhappy I didn’t have more.”
Only a week ago, McCoy racked up the fastest century of wins of his career aboard Arabic History at Newton Abbot on Thursday, 21 August 2014.
He hopes to better his seasonal best of 289 winners, set in 2001/2 and is currently closing in on an incredible 20th successive jump jockey title.
(source: Racing Post)
