Tony McCoy - Cheltenham Betting Tips, Cheltenham Festival Tips 2012

Tony McCoy seeks an easy return in obstacle-free race at Warwick

January 26, 2012 By Greg Wood

• Jockey broke ribs and punctured a lung last month
• Decision today on Grands Crus run in Argento Chase

Tony McCoy will climb aboard a racehorse in public for the first time this year at Warwick on Thursday but, if all goes to plan, his mount, Key To The West, will not leave the ground. The unraced five-year-old is due to contest the final event on the card, a National Hunt Flat race, and give McCoy as gentle a re-introduction as possible after sustaining injuries which, he said on Wednesday, included a punctured lung as well as several fractured ribs.

Where and when McCoy will next jump an obstacle at racing speed remains to be seen, however, as he has yet to be booked for any runners at Cheltenham's important meeting of Festival trials on Saturday or any of JP McManus's likely runners on the valuable cards at Leopardstown on Saturday and Sunday.

McCoy was injured in a fall at Taunton on 30 December, when his mount, Laudatory, unseated him and then landed on top of him at the final flight in a handicap hurdle. He returns nearly a month later with no hope of becoming the first jockey to ride 300 winners in a season, which was still a possibility before his injury, but in time for the major trial events leading up to the Cheltenham Festival in March.

"I fell out over his head and then I pulled him down on top of me as I could not get away from him," McCoy said on Wednesday in an interview with At The Races, "and, as I was lying on the ground, I was finding it hard to breath and then my breathing was not getting any better, so I was worried it was a bit worse than being winded.

"It's not a case of I would have liked to have come back sooner. I would not have been able to come back sooner as I broke quite a few ribs and punctured my lung."

McCoy said he had been "feeling good for the last week or 10 days" but is still taking a careful approach to his return to race-riding with the season's most important meeting now less than two months away.

"What would worry me is if I came back and I wasn't able to physically take a heavy fall again and I end up missing a lot more," he said. "It is not a case of being worried about getting hurt again. I would be gutted if I come back and ended up missing the likes of Binocular [in the Champion Hurdle]. Cheltenham is what it is all about."

If he can remain fit, McCoy is certain to win the jump jockeys' title for the 17th season running, as he has already partnered 174 winners this season while Richard Johnson, his closest rival, is more than 60 adrift on 113. The major races during his absence, meanwhile, have passed without a win for any horse he would have expected to ride.

"I've missed the last three or four Saturdays and the disappointing thing is I have not missed a winner, so I don't know if I should be happy or sad about that," McCoy said. "I'm sure I've missed a few winners during the week that I was always going to but I have not missed a big winner, which is quite sad really."

McCoy's injury came two days after he won Ireland's valuable Lexus Chase on Synchronised.

David Pipe will decide on Thursday whether to commit Grands Crus to the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday. The grey, who has won all three of his starts over fences, could use the race as a trial for the Cheltenham Festival, where he has possible engagements in both the Gold Cup and the RSA Novice Chase.

"It does look a hotter race than last year and obviously there'll be a true-run gallop," Pipe said on Wednesday. "I've got to speak to his owners and, if he does run, Tom Scudamore will school him in the morning.

"He was a little bit keen [when winning the Feltham Novice Chase] at Kempton but he's been really switched off so far this season. He's still switched off at the moment but it doesn't take much to wind him up." Grands Crus is the 9-4 favourite for Saturday's race ahead of Captain Chris and Diamond Harry.

Greg Wood

Filed Under: Cheltenham Festival 2012, Cheltenham News, Horse racing, News, Sport, The Guardian Tagged With: Cheltenham Festival, Tony McCoy

Tony McCoy banned under the new whip rules for the first time

November 7, 2011 By Sport: Cheltenham festival | guardian.co.uk

• Champion jockey received five-days for ride at Ffos Las
• McCoy faces a 10-day ban if he breaks the rule again

Tony McCoy fell foul of the new whip rules for the first time when finishing second on Caddie Master in a handicap hurdle at Ffos Las on Sunday. But rather than feel too sorry for himself, the champion jockey reserved his sympathy for owners who he feels are being denied winning opportunities by the restrictions.

The stewards ruled that McCoy had used his whip once more than the allotted eight times, and he will be suspended from 20-24 November. The jockey put the offence down to an oversight, having forgotten he had used the whip after clearing one of the hurdles. "I gave him a flick after the third-last and obviously I forgot about it, but it was literally a flick and that counts as a smack now," McCoy told At The Races. "It was barely a flick – I'd have done more good if I'd have patted him I think. With the rules as they are, that is what you get five days for.

"You see jockeys like Brian Harding, Richard Hills and Joe Fanning (getting suspensions). Someone told me Joe Fanning hadn't had a suspension for 20 years.

"You feel a little bit sorry for the owners, as that horse would probably have won six weeks ago. That's the way it is. You are doing your best to get them running – it's all about being competitive and you try to keep within the rules. I feel sorry for the owners and a little bit for the sport, too. I used to think this was probably the best place to be riding in the world, but you worry what every other country in the world now thinks of you."

McCoy's great friend and rival Ruby Walsh was handed a five-day ban for the same offence at Aintree last month, and had an appeal against the suspension dismissed on Thursday. Both riders face 10-day suspensions for their next offence and it will be interesting to see how it influences their decisions in terms of where they ride and how they ride in the coming months, particularly in the weeks before the Cheltenham Festival.

McCoy said: "The problem now for myself and Ruby, and the lads that have already been suspended, is that it's going to be a long winter.

"The horse I rode in the last race, Quazy De Joie, is a big, lazy three-mile chaser. If I could have given him a smack early on he might have got competitive and might have been able to win, but you can't risk it any more.

"It's disappointing from that point of view, and we have to go a long way during the winter without breaking the rules again. The owners put a lot of money into horses that should be winning races and it's going to be tough on them. The powers that be will say it will even itself out and there will always be a winner, but is that the right thing for the game?

"I've broken the rules and I'd better not break them again."

Filed Under: Cheltenham News, Horse racing, News, Sport, The Guardian, Whip rules Tagged With: Cheltenham Festival, Tony McCoy

Tony McCoy has to Win Sports Personality Of the Year

September 6, 2010 By Racing Diary Leave a Comment

Andy Murray crashed out of the US Open on Sunday and left the door wide open for Tony McCoy to win this years BBC Sports Personality.

McCoy for BBC Sports personality of the yar 2010

The jockey is the 7/4 favourite at William Hill with Jessica Ennis the 9/2 second favourite and Lewis Hamilton just behind her at 5/1. Tony McCoy won his first ever Grand National this year after 14 years of trying, although Ennis is the new poster girl of British athletics and Hamilton is leading the way in this years drivers championship.

Usually by September, we have an odds-on favourite for the Sports Personality. McCoy is very popular amongst the racing fraternity, but the fact that he is perhaps not so well known outside of this, means that this is one of the most open contests in recent years, said Hills spokesman Joe Crilly.

Tony McCoy has won the Champion Hurdle, the Grand National and has been riding out of his skin this year, he is a living Legend of sport and deserves recognition, Tony McCoy deserves it more than any other sportsman this year.

William Hill Sports Personality Of The Year:

7/4 Tony McCoy; 9/2 Jessica Ennis; 5/1 Lewis Hamilton; 10/1 Phil Taylor; 14/1 Mo Farah; 16/1 Paul Scholes; 16/1 Graeme McDowell; 25/1 Jenson Button; 25/1 Rory McIlroy; 33/1 Lee Westwood; 33/1 Andy Murray; 33/1 Amy Williams; 40/1 Mark Cavendish; 50/1 David Haye; 66/1 Amir Khan; 66/1 Colin Montgomerie; 66/1 Ronnie OSullivan; 66/1 Phillips Idowu; 66/1 Beth Tweddle; 66/1 Dai Greene

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Filed Under: Cheltenham Betting Tagged With: Tony McCoy

Binocular Excites Tony McCoy

March 11, 2010 By Racing Diary Leave a Comment

But Hold Your Bets…

Tony McCoy expressed satisfaction with comeback kid Binocular, who came through a Wednesday schooling session with flying colours. The 14-times champion jockey put the JP McManus-owned six-year-old through his paces over 13 flights of hurdles at Nicky Henderson‘s Upper Lambourn base.

Tony McCoy liked what he saw

Although Binocular impressed McCoy, his participation in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle is unlikely to be revealed until he works on Friday.

“His jumping was as good as it has been all season,” the rider told the Daily Telegraph. He schooled very well, and I was very happy with him, but we won’t know whether he runs until he works.”

Henderson last month ruled Binocular out of the Champion Hurdle – he was third in the race in 2009 – due to a muscle problem, which has since showed signs of improvement.

Champion Hurdle Market…

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Filed Under: Cheltenham News Tagged With: Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival 2010, Tony McCoy

McCoy Learnt Plenty from Denman Fall

March 6, 2010 By Racing Diary Leave a Comment

Champion jockey Tony McCoy believes he learnt plenty from riding Denman in the Aon Chase at Newbury despite the pair failing to complete the course.

McCoy rides Denman

Denman went into the race as a red-hot favourite after winning his second Hennessy Gold Cup earlier in the season but after blundering at the fourth from home, the pair parted company at the next fence.

Paul Nicholls’ charge will now head back to the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third clash with stablemate Kauto Star and McCoy is hoping his mount will be back to his best on March 19.

“Paul is very happy with Denman and says he’s in great shape,” McCoy told Channel 4 Racing’s The Morning Line. I’m very much looking forward to it and obviously what happened at Newbury wasn’t the plan. He probably wasn’t 100% wound-up and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a horse that does need to be 100%. He got a little bit tight into the first one in the straight and was a bit unlucky the way he landed as he kind of slipped. Maybe he frightened himself a little and that’s why he did what he did at the ditch. I’d like to think you learn something on every horse you ride and I think I learned enough about him that day. He has his quirks but he’s a very good horse and I suppose all the pressure is on Kauto Star now.”

Although Kauto Star won’t be aware of that will he Tony? The Best prices for the Gold Cup are;

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Filed Under: Cheltenham News Tagged With: Cheltenham Festival 2010, Denman, Gold Cup, Tony McCoy

Binocular Out Of Champion Hurdle, McCoy to Ride Punjabi?

February 17, 2010 By Racing Diary Leave a Comment

Binocular has been ruled out of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle due to a muscle problem.

Binocular out of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham

Nicky Henderson’s charge finished third behind stablemate Punjabi in the Cheltenham Festival feature last term and had been the favourite to claim the crown at the start of the season. However, an odds-on disappointment on his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last November was followed by another defeat, albeit a narrow one, in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Binocular bounced back to winning form in a moderate event at Sandown earlier this month, but despite his easy success, Henderson was not satisfied and the six-year-old underwent a full examination.

Tony McCoy is 8/15 with Sky Bet to ride reigning champion Punjabi in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. The champion jockey’s intended mount, Binocular, misses the race because of a muscle problem and the battle is on to secure his services.

Punjabi will require a new jockey if Barry Geraghty elects to partner Zaynar ahead of his stablemate. Tony McCoy, who regularly rides for trainer Nicky Henderson, is 11/4 to partner Zaynar. It’s 10/1 he rides any other horse and 6/1 he doesn’t have a mount in the race.

Filed Under: Cheltenham News Tagged With: Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival 2010, Tony McCoy

Denman 3/1 For Gold Cup After Aon Disaster

February 13, 2010 By Racing Diary 1 Comment

Tony McCoy’s new association with Denman came to a premature end as the pair parted company at the third-last fence in the Aon Chase.

Kauto Star v Denman clash is on for 2010

After putting in a practically perfect round to five out under his intended Cheltenham Gold Cup rider McCoy, Paul Nicholls’ runner clattered the fourth-last and was lucky not to unship McCoy.However, he met the next fence all wrong again and McCoy could not hold on this time and tumbled out of the plate. That allowed stablemate Tricky Trickster to just edge out Niche Market in a thrilling finish.

Denman is out to 3/1 for the Gold Cup with Stan James after his defeat in the Aon Chase at Newbury earlier this afternoon. Winner Tricky Trickster was cut to 10s from 16s for the Grand National.

4-6 Kauto Star (from 5/4)
3 Denman (from 7/4)
10 Cooldine
12 Imperial Commander
20 Taranis
33 Notre Pere
33 Tricky Trickster
50 Carruthers

Grand National 2010 ~ Outright Ante Post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 4)

10 Tricky Trickster (from 16s)
14 Niche Market
16 Black Apalachi
16 Possol
16 Big Fella Thanks
20 War Of Attrition
20 Vic Venturi
25 State Of Play
25 Comply Or Die
25 Whinstone Boy
25 Taranis
25 Backstage
25 Mon Mome
33 Bar

William Hill offer 11/4 Denman
The Gold Cup ante-post market received an unexpected shake-up after second-favourite Denman fluffed his lines in his warm-up Aon Chase run this afternoon.

The ten-year-old unseated Champion Jockey Tony McCoy following a blunder at the third last, and has now been eased out to 11-4 from 9-4 with William Hill for his Gold Cup bid. Hills also shortened long-time ante-post favourite Kauto Star to Even money from 5-4.

The eventual victor and runner-up both received cuts for the Grand National with winner Tricky Trickster shortening to 14-1 from 16-1 at the head of the betting, and Niche Market trimmed to 16-1 from 20-1.

Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup: Evs Kauto Star, 11-4 Denman, 14-1 Cooldine, Imperial Commander, 33-1 Taranis, What A Friend, 50-1 Carruthers, 66-1 Albertas Run, Madison du Berlais, Money Trix, Notre Pere, Tricky Trickster, 100-1 Air Force One, Aran Concerto, Calgary Bay, Casey Jones, Cloudy Lane, Glencove Marina, In Compliance, My Will, Rare Bob, Schindlers Hunt, Trabolgan,150-1 Mon Mome, Roll Along, 500-1 Cerium, Mr Pointment ALL QUOTED (EW 1/4 1,2,3)
John Smiths Grand National 2010: 14-1 Tricky Trickster, 16-1 Niche Market, 20-1 Big Fella Thanks, Black Apalachi, Possol, 25-1 Backstage, Casey Jone, Character Building, Comply or Die, Don’t Push It, Mon Mome, State Of Play, Taranis, Vic Venturi, 33-1 Albertas Run, Ballyholland, Can’t Buy Time, Dream Alliance, Ellerslie George, Gone to Lunch, Hello Bud, Le Beau Bai, Madison du Berlais, Notre Pere, Our Vic, The Package, War of Attrition, Whistone Boy, 40-bar (EW 1/4 1,2,3, 4)

Filed Under: Cheltenham Betting Tagged With: Cheltenham Festival 2010, Denman, Gold Cup, Tony McCoy

McCoy and Walsh Speak About Gold Cup Rides

February 6, 2010 By Racing Diary Leave a Comment

Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh give their reaction to the Cheltenham Gold Cup clash between Kauto Star and Denman.

Kauto Star v Denman clash is on for 2010

TONY McCOY, (in the Racing Post) revealed on Saturday as the jockey who will ride Denman in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, thinks the dual Hennessy winner is the horse to capitalise on any chinks in the armour of reigning champion Kauto Star.

The champion jockey has never ridden Denman, but will be on board the horse they callThe Tank in the Grade 2 Aon Chase at Newbury next Saturday, before partnering the giant chaser in a mouth-watering clash with his Paul Nicholls-trained stablemate Kauto Star at Cheltenham on March 19.

Speaking on Sky Sports News on Saturday morning, McCoy, whose only victory in the Festival showpiece came aboard Mr Mulligan in 1997, said: “The Gold Cup being the race it is, and having those two horses in it this year, to get on one of them is every jockey’s dream – it’s great.

“Denman‘s won two Hennessys, a Gold Cup and is a very powerful horse. If there’s any chinks in Kauto Star‘s armoury, he’ll find them out – that’s for sure.”

Looking ahead to the Aon – a race the Paul Barber and Harry Findlay-owned gelding won en route to his Gold Cup success in 2008 – McCoy added:

“All being well, I’ll get to ride him next Saturday at Newbury, which is something I’m really looking forward to.”

Kauto Star and Denman have dominated the Gold Cup betting for most of the season and McCoy is expecting something special at Cheltenham.

He said: “They are two exceptional horses that are hopefully going to put on an exceptional show and hopefully Denman will come out on top.”

Ruby Walsh (in the Racing Post) admits that his decision to ride Kauto Star over Denman in the Totesport Gold Cup in March “was very difficult” and says he has “no idea” if it is the correct choice. Quoted in Saturday’s Irish Examiner, Walsh said:

“The reason for having to make such an early choice came when Denman‘s owners were anxious that whoever rode their horse at Newbury would also be aboard at Cheltenham. The reasoning was that they simply want Tony to get a feel of Denman at Newbury. That’s obviously fair to everyone involved, although I have to admit I would love to be able to sit on it for another couple of weeks. Denman‘s performance at Newbury is going to be crucial and, in an ideal world, I’d have wanted to wait until after that race. Anyway, what’s done is done and, as long as we both remain sound, Kauto and I will be seeking a third Gold Cup in five weeks and six days’ time.

“But I’m long enough in this game to know that so much can change between now and then. Tony and Iand Kauto Star and Denman have to arrive in one piece before all of this falls into place. It was a very difficult decision and I have no idea if I’ve got it right.”

Tony McCoy has been snapped up to ride the 2008 Gold Cup winner after Walsh told his owners that he would be staying loyal to Kauto Star, a horse who has provided him with two Gold Cup victories.

The two best horses and the two best jockeys will fight out the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19 at Cheltenham!

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Filed Under: Cheltenham News Tagged With: Cheltenham Festival 2010, Denman, Kauto Star, Paul Nicholls, Tony McCoy

Tony McCoy will ride Denman in the Cheltenham Gold Cup

February 6, 2010 By Racing Diary 1 Comment

Tony McCoy will ride Denman in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19. McCoy received the call-up to partner the brilliant chaser as Ruby Walsh, Paul Nicholls’ first-choice rider, has remained loyal to stablemate Kauto Star.

Tony McCoy Rides Denman

The 14-times champion jockey has yet to ride Denman, but will be at the helm for the Aon Chase at Newbury on Saturday week before renewing acquaintance at Cheltenham. Joint-owner Paul Barber told the Daily Telegraph: “In fairness to Paul Nicholls, we had to lay the ghost.

“I’m sure Ruby would have wanted another four weeks to decide, but we have reached our decision -Tony McCoy rides.”

Denman has only ever been ridden under Nicholls’ tutelage by Walsh, Christian Williams and Sam Thomas. Thomas did the steering when the popular chestnut won the 2008 Gold Cup, defeating the Walsh-ridden Kauto Star by seven lengths, but was also on board when he fell at Aintree last spring. Barber feels the recruitment of McCoy will bolster the chances of Denman wresting away the Gold Cup from Kauto Star, who last year became the first horse in history to regain the Cheltenham showpiece.

He said: “We know that to be taking on Ruby on Kauto Star, we need to have a jockey who is at least his equal.

“We wouldn’t want a situation where we were theoretically giving away several pounds. You can’t do that if you want to win a Gold Cup.”

Denman’s chances of winning this year’s Gold Cup were heightened considerably by his remarkable success in the Hennessy Gold Cup in November. Before that, however, many questioned whether he would ever be the same horse following his 2008 win at Cheltenham, after which he was found to have been suffering with an irregular heartbeat.

He did not run again since February 2009, when he came home a weary second in a Grade Two at Kempton.

Although the son of Presenting finished an honourable second in last year’s Gold Cup, his fall at Aintree was thought at the time to have been another significant reverse. All that changed when he made a dramatic return to action with a glorious triumph in the Hennessy – considered to be one of the greatest weight-carrying performances of all time. Denman, who is also owned by professional gambler Harry Findlay, is now reported to be thriving in his home-work ahead of next weekend’s Aon Chase.

Barber said: “He jumped magnificently earlier in the week. He is in tremendous form.”

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