Double for McCoy on return from eight week lay-off

TONY MCCOY made a perfect return to the saddle after eight weeks on the sidelines with two wins from as many rides at Hereford yesterday.

The champion jockey badly broke his right wrist in a fall from the ill-fated Sporting Limerick at the Galway Festival on August 2.

But he showed he had lost none of his old magic when bringing up his 50 for the season with an all-the-way win on 8-11 shot Absolutelythebest in the opening World Bet Exchange wbx.com Novices’ Hurdle.

Always in control, the John O’Shea-trained gelding came home 17 lengths clear of Tyup Pompey, with L’Eau Du Nil a further three and a half lengths away third.

“John O’Shea said the horse was in tip-top form and he’s a trainer that I’ve been lucky for all summer,” McCoy said.

“When John’s horses are going well you believe in him. The wrist was OK, it was just a case of steering him round.”

McCoy was not in action again until the closing World Bet Exchange wbx.com Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race but the wait was worthwhile as Bouncy Castle (7-2) obliged.

Appropriately enough, the win came on a horse trained by Jonjo O’Neill, although it was hard-earned and came after a protracted battle with the Ruby Walsh-ridden 4-7 favourite My Condor.

McCoy said: “He’s probably improved a little bit from his Worcester run, but I’m not sure that was the strongest bumper today. But you can only win, and he kept sticking his head out and wanted to win.

“The wrist is OK. My physio told me the only thing that’s going to totally help it is to get back riding.

“The nerves through my hand and my elbow are probably as sore as anything, but I don’t notice it riding.”