McCoy’s Festival hopes rise after surgery

TONY McCoy is virtually “guaranteed” be fit for the Cheltenham Festival after undergoing surgery on his back injury.

The 12-times champion damaged a vertebrae after he parted company with Arnold Layne in the totesport.com Classic Chase at Warwick on Saturday, prompting fears he could miss the Festival in March.

Initial prognosis from doctors at the University Hospital Walsgrave in Coventry was reasonably positive in that he could be back in around six weeks.