AP McCoy heads to Uttoxeter and Worcester in pursuit of Martin Pipe’s record of 4191 career winners, the Champion Jockey just one behind his former boss and seven excellent rides on two excellent cards of summer jumping.
McCoy rides Zip Wire for Donald McCain in the two miles novices hurdle however looks set to play second fiddle to Tim Vaughan’s Nathan’s Pride (2.50) with the recent course and distance winner bidding to follow-up last week’s impressive success.
The 6-y-o son of Definite Article bolted up last week under apprentice Alan Johns and with Richard Johnson back in the plate the 6-y-o looks to have a relatively straightforward task ahead of him.
AP McCoy partnered Salpierre to victory for boss Jonjo O’Neill in the three miles handicap hurdle on the corresponding card last season and the hat-trick seeking On the Record (4.20) is taken to carry on the pair’s fine record at the track.
The beautifully-bred 6-y-o has won two competitive handicaps at Chepstow and Southwell, the latter scoring over the same trip and McCoy seeing the gelding to a comfortable two lengths victory. A 6lb rise looks very fair and the selection still looks potentially chucked in, likely to be even better when sent over a fence.
Those two results would leave McCoy needing just the solitary winner to surpass Pipe’s landmark figure and with four rides this evening at Worcester, he should break the landmark this evening. He may have to wait until the lucky last however with Think Out Loud (9.00) looking the best of the quartet in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle, for Jonjo O’Neill once more.
The selection has progressed steadily in novice hurdles and makes his debut handicapping from an opening mark of 106. His run last time out at Towcester suggested there was plenty left to work with.
Elsewhere on the card Peter Bowen’s Cresswell Prince (6.55) should be able to score in the bumper under son Sean claiming 5lb after two excellent efforts this term at Ffos Las and Worcester. The selection pulled clear with two smart types on debut before bumping into another promising pair on quick ground at Worcester; he wouldn’t need to improve a great deal to win a race of this ilk.
David Bridgewater’s string remains in good heart and that bodes well for the chances of Regal One (5.50) in the opening handicap chase with apprentice Jake Hodson excellent value for his 7lb claim. The selection has been a revelation since dropping down to two miles, taking advantage of his plundering mark when scoring two starts back when staying on gamely to beat subsequent scorer Morestead at Towcester. He followed that up with a respectable third last time out at Fontwell when his stamina was stretched by the extra two furlongs and looks sure to benefit now dropping back down to the minimum trip.
There’s evening action from Sandown where Biotic (6.35) can land a nice pot for the Millman team in a competitive seven furlongs handicap. The gelding is yet to finish out of the frame since switched handicapping and looks sure to be competitive with Andrea Atzeni once again in the plate, as he was when the selection shed the maiden tag in March. With the market likely to be headed by the pair of Goodwood Storm and Adore, he should be a decent price and looks the value.
Jamie Spencer is Lingfield bound this afternoon with Knavery (3.40) taken steer the colt to victory in the Classified Stakes over a mile. Roger Varian’s talented individual made a winning debut at Kempton before disappointing last time out at Doncaster when too keen to ever land a blow. Providing he learns to settle better he could prove to be much better than that of a 90-rated horse and with the Varian stable in excellent form (four winners from their last thirteen runners) he holds strong claims.
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