McCoy nears milestone

Tony McCoy is in with a chance of landing his 3,000th winner at Chepstow on Friday after riding Stradbrook to victory at Wincanton.

The 34-year-old landed the spoils on Stradbrook for his boss JP McManus and trainer Jonjo O'Neill to take his total to 2,998 wins.

Sent off the 3-1 favourite for the Bruton Handicap Hurdle, the seven-year-old hit the front early in the straight and appeared to have the measure of all his rivals.

However, first Richard Johnson challenged on Oiseau De Nuit and then Timmy Murphy charged home on Tender Falcon.

The three crossed the line in unison, a trio of riders at the top of their game, and while none had done anything wrong, yet again it was McCoy who prevailed by the narrowest of margins.

Favourite

McCoy said: "The race didn't go to plan and I'd have preferred a faster pace even though it is heavy ground.

"I didn't want to be too far back and I probably got there a bit early. I think Richard's horse was in front of me for most of the last 100 yards and when Timmy's horse came at me on my outside, my horse just stuck his head down again.

"I'd say 10 yards before the line Richard was in front and five yards after the line Timmy was in front."

The perennial champion jockey now head to Chepstow where he prepares for two further rides for McManus and one for Jim Best.

McCoy rides Gabreselassie in the opening EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle, in which he will come up against Paul Nicholls' The Gossmoor Yank, the likely favourite.

The jockey is back in action 30 minutes later aboard Fourball in the Jenkinsons Caterers Handicap Chase - both horses are trained by Jonjo O'Neill.

And McCoy completes his afternoon's work on Best's Man Of The Moment.