McCoy chases Dunwoody's record

Champion jockey Tony McCoy heads for Newton Abbot this afternoon still seven short of Richard Dunwoody’s all-time record for a jump jockey of 1,699 winners after drawing a blank from his five rides at Southwell on Monday.

McCoy, who has four booked rides today, partnered Martin Pipe’s Douceur Des Songes, the 6-4 favourite in the Mike Molloy Novices’ Hurdle, but the combination could only manage third place behind the impressive winner Welsh Border.

Former useful Flat racer Welsh Border was recording his second success of the season and trainer George Prodromou now has the Cheltenham Festival in his sights.

The son of Zafonic made steady progress under Robert Thornton to take up the running approaching the penultimate flight, and he drew away to pass the post with 10 lengths to spare over Roman Candle.

Prodromou, who has had a full licence for four years, was delighted with Welsh Border who was following up a recent win at Market Rasen.

Welsh Border had smart form on the level when trained by Henry Cecil, having been owned and bred by Khalid Abdullah.

East Harling-based Prodromou enthused: "He respects these French-style hurdles and jumps them well. He is a serious horse, he is not far off being a Cheltenham horse and we will give him three weeks off now."

Venetia Williams pulled off a shrewd purchase when snapping up Cotopaxi for 8,000gns at the Doncaster May Sales, and he gained his third success since under Brian Crowley in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap Hurdle.

He took up the running approaching the final flight and drew away to score by a comfortable three lengths from McCoy and Bernardon with Lord York three-quarters of a length away in third.

Miss Williams said: "We thought he had improved but we did not know by how much so we brought him here - 10 days after we bought him, we ran him at Worcester where he finished fifth to Bernardon and he had 30 lengths and 3lb to make up on him."

While McCoy was having an unsuccessful day his main rival Richard Johnson was in double form winning the last two races on Navarre Samson and Glacial Missile.