McCoy attests a Thursday return
There’s nothing peculiar in Tony McCoy finding himself streets ahead in the jockeys ‘ championship before taking a slip and having a spell on the sidelines. That's exactly the situation he's found himself in again this season.
When McCoy was buried beneath Laudatory in a fall in a hurdle race at Taunton 30 December, he had a lead of more than 70 over nearest rival Richard Johnson. Although Johnson has made inroads to the tune of 14 winners over the past 3 weeks or thereabouts there had been never any likelihood of him coming remotely near McCoy’s current total of 174.
When he was younger 1 or 2 broken ribs would have kept McCoy out of the saddle for a week or thereabouts but he is older and wiser now, and doesn't conceal as much from the medical team. “The doctor is super happy so I deserve to be back on Thursday,” McCoy is reported to have said to the Daily Mail on Tuesday after an appointment with an expert in Bristol. He has two rides booked for coach Rebecca Curtis, Corsican Boy in the opening hurdles race, and God Of The Kop in the bumper. He'll be expecting one winner, with the hurdler being the more likely of the two.
Thursday had been widely accepted as the date when he would resume riding, but McCoy asserted in his column in last Saturday’s Daily Telegram that he would be on the sidelines for 1 or 2 more days. “I must have reached the age of tact, because I taken the view that as I have been off long enough anyhow, there’s no point in coming back before I am good and prepared and if that suggests coming back little later than intended “then so be it. There's no doubt in my private mind that I could ride a horse now, but I’m not convinced I could take the impact of another fall just yet.”
The copywriter’s interpretation of these remarks brought the strapline “I can’t bear the concept of another fall”, and there’s little doubt that this has fueled him into action without any farther delay. The Racing Post’s supposition that he would be planning his retirement could not be farther from the truth.
Ian Sutherland is a staff writer for geegeez, an independent site concentrated on UK horse racing news, and horse racing systems.
More from Center Harmony: