No good luck charm for McCoy
Tony McCoy will have to wait another day to reach 3,000 winners after being beaten into second place on the first of his two rides at Sandown.
His mount Eric’s Charm was beaten by Can’t Buy Time, who ironically is owned by his employer owner JP McManus, leaving McCoy still two short of the magic figure.
As McCoy was unable to do the weight on Can’t Buy Time, it was 7lb claimer Richard McLernon who took the ride on the Jonjo O’Neill-trained gelding in the totesport.com Masters Handicap Chase.
The perennial champion got the leg up on Oliver Sherwood’s Eric’s Charm and he set out to make all the running over this extended three miles.
His mount answered McCoy’s every call, jumping with great gusto and putting his rivals under pressure some way out.
But he could not see off Can’t Buy Time, the 4-1 favourite making smooth progress to lead at the final fence to win by six lengths. Eric’s Charm kept on gamely to hold Lacdoudal by a neck for the runner-up spot.
