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Tony McCoy made good headway towards securing 4,000 winners over jumps by riding a stunning five-timer at Carlisle.
In doing so, the perennial champion jockey sailed past 100 victories for the season. McCoy now needs just 16 winners to set yet another record in a truly remarkable career.
His first four winners came in the green and gold silks of his boss, JP McManus, with three of the horses trained by Jonjo O’Neill at Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire.
McCoy gave O’Neill’s Milan Bound a patient ride in the opening starsportsbet.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle at Carlisle to bring up his century for the season, before following up on board Pendra, Upswing and Finding Your Feet.
The Charlie Longsdon-trained Pendra finished second in the Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle last season and locked horns with a similarly smart prospect in Nicky Richards’ Eduard in the Call Star Sports On 08000 521 321 Beginners’ Chase.
The race was just hotting up at the second-last as Eduard was still on the bridle when he made a slight error which handed the initiative to the 4-5 favourite, who coasted home by three and three-quarter lengths.
“I only watched the race on the TV, but it looked to me as if Eduard was still going just as well as us when he made the mistake,” said Longsdon. “I’ve got to be very happy, he jumped well considering we hadn’t been able to school him on grass and he didn’t really have a race. His jumping will no doubt get slicker and that is part of the reason we ran him over two miles.
“We may stick over two for his next run, I’ll have to see what AP says. There’s plenty of room for improvement, obviously, but it was a pleasing introduction for him.
“Sometimes you might want them to have a race as they learn more and there is no doubt the first two are smart. Don’t forget Eduard had a higher rating over hurdles than us.”
When told Pendra had been given a quote of 16/1 for the Jewson Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, Longsdon said: “He’s not quick enough for an Arkle, he’s bred for three miles. The Jewson would probably be right at this stage unless AP tells me something wildly different.”
Pendra was win number 101 for the season after Milan Bound had earlier brought up McCoy’s ton.
The 6-4 chance did not jump all that fluently but drew level with runner-up Fayette County and Blakemount at the final flight and came away from the former by half a length.
Upswing barely came off the bridle in the Star Sports Follow Us On Twitter @star-sportsbet Intermediate Handicap Hurdle.
Racing off a 6lb higher mark than when victorious over course and distance in March, the five-year-old travelled through the race with ease.
Coverholder gamely attempted to make all of the running, but McCoy hardly moved on Upswing (7-4 favourite), who jumped into the lead at the last and won by a cosy three-quarters of a length.
Finding Your Feet (6-4 favourite) was by far the most fortunate of McCoy’s winners as Dickie Henderhoop fell at the last when clear in the first division of the Star Sports-sponsored two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle.
McCoy, who jumped the last in third, sensed his opportunity and his mount stayed on strongly to beat Rocking Blues by four lengths.
Tutchec (3-1 joint-favourite) then made just about every yard of the running under McCoy to take the Star Sports Be Polite Handicap Chase for trainer Nicky Richards, who had earlier hit the target with the Brian Harding-ridden Moufatango (5-1).
Carrigdhoun (10-1) won the feature Star Sports Trader Betiquette Handicap Chase for trainer Maurice Barnes and jockey Stephen Mulqueen, whose partner gamely held off the veteran Vic Venturi by three-quarters of a length.
