Magical McCoy sweeps to 2,000 winners
Tony McCoy reached a major landmark in his glittering career when Magical Bailiwick became a 2,000th success in Britain for the eight-times champion jockey at Wincanton yesterday.
The 3-1 shot was part of a superb four-timer as McCoy celebrated becoming the first jump jockey to reach that figure in his own inimitable style.
Magical Bailiwick, trained by Martin Pipe, was seeking his fourth consecutive victory.
He was always handily-placed before leading approaching the third-last of the Connaught Cup Handicap Chase and scoring by three lengths from long-time leader Tremallt.
McCoy returned to a rapturous reception from the enthusiastic West Country crowd and said: “That’s great. I’m so pleased to have got lucky 2,000 times and I hope I can ride plenty more winners like that.
“I take every day like I haven’t ridden a winner before and when I go out to ride again on Monday, that is what will be in my mind.
“I’d like to ride another 2,000. The first is history, it’s past, gone. It’s about riding the next 2,000.
“I love my job and that is what is so good about it, even though I know I can be a bit difficult when things don’t go well.
“I very much appreciate I’m lucky in as much as I have a great team behind me such as my agent, Dave Roberts, and I had a great grounding when coming to Britain just over nine years ago with Toby Balding, before joining Martin Pipe.”
McCoy is currently five ahead of Richard Johnson (142-137) in the race for the title, and he added:
“I’ve been champion jockey eight times and I want to be champion jockey again this time as well. As far as I’m concerned that’s my job and why I ride every day.”
Pipe also paid tribute to McCoy, saying: “Tony was brilliant as usual. He’s unique in his field and I’m delighted he’s got the 2,000 on one of my horses as he always gives everything 110% of a ride.”
McCoy returned from a five-day suspension in supreme fashion earlier on the card when partnering Noel Chance’s Corporate Player (7-2) to a three-quarters of a length verdict from Over The Creek for the Connaught Cleaning NH Novices’ Hurdle (Division One).
Later, the champion headed towards his next landmark when Tucacas (4-5), also trained by Pipe, got the better of Ruby Gale in a ding-dong battle up the home straight in the Connaught Gas Force Novices’ Chase.
And he rounded off a memorable afternoon when galvanising Hopbine (8-1) to a hard-earned success over Polish Cloud for the concluding Connaught Partnership Handicap Hurdle.
Irish bookmakers Paddy Power quote McCoy at 1-6 to retain his title this season, with Johnson 7-2, after the latter replied with just the one winner, Koquelicot (3-1) in the Connaught Tim Forster Cup Handicap Chase for Philip Hobbs.
