McCoy treble keeps punters happy
Tony McCoy notched a treble as punters picked up some of the Christmas expenses at Fontwell today.
The champion was on board three short-priced favourites, landing gambles on Gallery God and Rob Leach and completing the job when Honey’s Gift gave George Margarson his first ever National Hunt winner.
Though his boss Jonjo O’Neill has not been providing the winners either of them would like, McCoy remains the man to beat and he scored here on three outside rides.
He sparked the treble when coasting to a 15-length success on 8-11 favourite Gallery God in the Pokerbluesq.com Novices’ Hurdle for Epsom trainer Simon Dow.
In beating hurdling debutant Rotheram, the eight-year-old again showed his appreciation for the twisting Sussex track, winning for the third time in three visits.
“We wanted to give him a confidence-booster after he had a hard race at Sandown last time,” said Dow. “He likes Fontwell and he’d win a decent race, I would think. He has schooled and jumps well, and though he may not be that big, he could take to chasing. We won’t run him to death, though.”
Rob Leach was the best-backed horse of the day and landed some fair old bets in the Betbluesq.com Selling Hurdle, providing the meat in the sandwich for McCoy’s trio.
It was a superb training performance from Brighton handler Gary Moore, who brought back the seven-year-old from leg trouble and a 752-day lay-off.
After seeing McCoy record a five-length success aboard the 4-5 favourite from fellow seasonal debutant Hatteras, Moore – who had earlier recorded a brace of winners at Lingfield – said: “He’s had so many problems. He’s made of glass and is very high maintenance. If he stays in one piece, he is very useful. I hope I keep him – we will see after the auction.”
Fortunately, Moore managed to buy in the Robellino gelding for 5,200 guineas.
McCoy completed a good afternoon when punching home 7-4 favourite Honey’s Gift in the meccagames.com Mares’ Only Handicap Hurdle for Newmarket handler Margarson.
“I can’t believe it. This is my first one,” said Margarson of his debut jumps winner. “I haven’t really been trying. I think I’ve had about five jumpers overall, but I’ve got four this year. This filly is slow, but she jumps and I’d like to go novice chasing with her.”
There was another fine training performance when Smart Guy overcame a 209-day lay-off to win the Blue Square 0800 587 0200 Handicap Chase under Leighton Aspell.
Smart Guy (7-1) has been with trainer Linda Jewell since he was a three-year-old and he landed the two-and-three-quarter-mile event just days before his 13th birthday.
It was his fourth win at the track, all four having been in December. Jewell quipped: “He is our Christmas horse. My daughter Karen has ridden him since she was 12, and we will keep running him all the time he tells us he wants to run. He’s like a part of the family.”
L’Orphelin (15-8) completed a hat-trick with victory in the Casinobluesq.com Novices’ Chase under a front-running ride from Joe Tizzard.
Despite making a horlicks of the third-last, the partnership stayed together to record an 11-length success.
“He was a bit full of himself beforehand,” said Sherbourne trainer Colin Tizzard. “He has done us proud and though he didn’t jump as well as he can, he still won. I always thought of him as being better with top of the ground, but he’s proved us wrong. He likes this soft ground.”
Lucky Pete (11-2) was another all-the-way winner, David Turner kicking clear on the final circuit to land the Evechange Ltd Xmas Party Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase.
Come Bye (9-1) paid a compliment to the progressive Martin Pipe-trained Royal Hector, who beat him at Fontwell last time, when winning the concluding Blue Square 0800 587 0200 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle with authority under Matty Batchelor.
