McCoy pleased as Jezki gets the job done

Twenty-four hours after guiding My Tent Or Yours to a smooth success in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, Tony McCoy partnered odds-on favourite Jezki to victory in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, one of three Grade 1 events on yesterday’s card in Fairyhouse.

The 4/6 favourite, like My Tent Or Yours owned by JP McManus, came from off the pace to master Diakali between the last two flights before fluffing the last and being merely driven out by McCoy to beat Zaidpour (winner of this race last year) by a length and threequarters, with Diakali, which enjoyed a clear lead for most of the way, a close third.

Jezki was racing beyond two miles for the first time and, while registering his fourth success at Grade 1 level, could not be described as an impressive winner. But he got the job done, recording his seventh win over hurdles, and remains an 8/1 shot generally for the 2014 Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.