Tony McCoy has armchair ride as Artifice Sivola proves a cut above rivals

Tony McCoy enjoyed a winner on what is almost certain to be his final visit to Fakenham when steering Artifice Sivola to a facile success in the King’s Lynn Handicap Chase yesterday.

After finding himself out of luck in his three earlier rides at the West Norfolk track, the soon-to-retire 19-times champion jockey ensured he kept up the momentum on his farewell tour with a win aboard the 8-11 favourite.

Despite pecking at the first in the extended two-mile contest, the Lucy Wadham-trained five-year-old proved a cut above his rivals to cruise home by 20 lengths. McCoy said: “It was nice that Artifice Sivola won, although I didn’t think that after the first where he pecked but he then got a bit of confidence.