Optimum Sports : Jonjo O'Neill

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Thursday, 7 November 2013

Mountain Tunes for Real McCoy

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AP McCoy hopes Mountain Tunes might be the horse to provide him with his 4,000th winner this afternoon at Towcester.

McCoy rode winner No 3,999 at Chepstow on Wednesday when he took a spare ride on Jonjo O'Neill's Minella For Steak, who ploughed through the mud to score.

Now he takes his quest to the Northamptonshire track, where a bumper crowd is expected, for two more rides for O'Neill and owner JP McManus in Church Field (2:10) and Mountain Tunes (3:10), who is running for the first time under rules after running in Irish point-to-points.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, McCoy said: "It would be great if Mountain Tunes or Church Field could win today. Jonjo and JP have been so supportive and we've had such good days together, that would put the icing on the cake.

"Church Field won four times in the summer on much better ground than it is going to be today. Conditions will be more testing than he has ever won on and the handicapper has slowed him down, but hopefully he's got a good chance.

"Towcester is a demanding track and with the ground being pretty soft with a stiff finish, it's going to sap a lot of horse's stamina.

"Mountain Tunes hasn't run in this country before and it's a competitive looking novice hurdle. There's a few in there that look to have a good chance; Kris Spin and Prideofthecastle for the Pipes.

"I think they are pretty pleased with him but you just don't know how horses are going to cope with today's conditions. Hopefully he will cope better than the others. Hopefully I'll like him more after ten past three!

"I don't know much about him but I am hoping for a bit more of a surprise from him than Church Field."

Monday, 4 November 2013

Exeter to Record McCoy Landmark

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Tony McCoy heads to Exeter for three rides tomorrow on what could prove a landmark day in the record-breaking champion jockey's career.

A double at Kempton courtesy of Captain Cutter and Foundation Man left McCoy on 3,998 career winners over jumps - and two successes at Exeter would see him reach the magical 4,000 at the track that saw him register his first British winner back in September 7, 1994, on the Gordon Edwards-trained Chickabiddy

Captain Cutter survived a less-than-fluent round of jumping to ultimately run out a comfortable winner of the Weatherbys Bank Foreign Exchange "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson's Punchestown bumper runner-up was the 4-11 favourite for his debut over timber and moved sweetly enough in the hands of the 18-times champion.

There was a slight moment of concern for his supporters as the six-year-old made a mistake four flights from home and he was also less than convincing at the final obstacle, but his class advantage was clear as he came home 10 lengths clear of Fine Words.

Talking about Captain Cutter's mistake four flights from the finish, McCoy said: "When he jumped, he almost caught his head. It could have been worse. He could have knuckled over, but thankfully he didn't.

"With the price that he went off at, he won the way he should have.

"He is a nice type of horse, he needs to brush up on his jumping and needs a bit of experience.

"He has started off well. I'm not sure he is the easiest horse to ride, but hopefully he will be (in time), all being well."

McCoy added to his tally with his final ride from three on the card as 11-10 favourite Foundation Man claimed victory in the Weatherbys Bank Foreign Exchange Handicap Chase.

Jonjo O'Neill's charge received a reminder from McCoy down the back straight, but mastered Lemon's Gent from the home turn and looked to have the race in safe keeping jumping the second-last.

Upton Mead came from further back to try to make a race of it under a familiar foe in Richard Johnson, but Foundation Man safely negotiated the final obstacle and was always doing enough to hold on by two and three-quarter lengths.

McCoy said: "He has been a disappointing horse, to be honest.

"He was going everywhere but forward, but he obviously has ability and he can improve. He is taking a step nearer and he is getting better.

"You can see from the size of him that he is a chaser, and hopefully he will improve with every race he runs."

Assessing his chances at Exeter, McCoy said: "I wouldn't say they are good chances. Flemenson is probably the best one."

The O'Neill-trained Flemenson bids to make in two from two over obstacles in the opening novice hurdle at the Devon venue, while McCoy also rides Keen Eye in a similar event and Well Hello There, also trained by O'Neill, goes in a handicap chase.