1/10

Race 1 Sandown

Can it ghet beat

It won but nothing like a 1/10 shot

It could have got beat, but McCoy was riding
but did not look good for Cheltenham chances

McCoy also gave the 1/5 shot a hard time plus it almost fell, however was impressed by Punchestown will run well at Cheltenham

McCoy out of form at the moment, last 2-3 weeks not many winners...

Feleni, he won on the money shot, and gave the other money on shot a scare he was on the second fav, he is still the king!

Punchestowns wins despite Sandown scare


Report: Sandown, Saturday
Totepool Challengers Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4½f, 5yo+

PUNCHESTOWNS survived a huge scare at the seventh fence to maintain his unbeaten record over fences.

The 4-11 favourite sprawled on landing and did incredibly well to stay upright.

The winner remains the 7-2 favourite for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.

Tony McCoy made the contest a true test and set a decent gallop on Tchico Polos. The champion jockey quickened the tempo approaching the downhill fence (seven) and it was this move that put the pressure on Punchestowns jumping.

As Tchico Polos cleared the obstacle well, Punchestowns got in a little close and flicked the top of the fence. He sprawled on landing and for a split second it looked like he was down.

However, to the horse's credit he remained on his feet and was soon galloping to the next. He still had plenty to do at this stage with the leader extending his lead.

But Barry Geraghty gave Punchestowns plenty of time and slowly worked their way back into contention. He joined the long-time leader after the railway fences and stayed on powerfully to the line.

A relieved Nicky Henderson, trainer of Punchestowns, said: “It looked a bit scary but Barry said it’s the sort of thing you’ve got to do once in your life and you learn a bit from it.

“Barry was very sensible and so was the horse and they got back into their rhythm. He has had a bloody good blow and I probably want to run him again but it’s not vital. He’s a big horse and he needs work.”

McCoy not satisfied despite Binocular victory

Report: Sandown, Saturday
Toteplacepot Contenders Hurdle (Listed race) 2m, 4yo+

BINOCULAR got his Champion Hurdle bid back on track with an easy win in the Toteplacepot Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday, but jockey Tony McCoy does not believe the six-year-old has returned to last season's form.

The JP McManus-owned gelding, who was third in last year's Champion Hurdle, had been below-par behind Go Native in the WBX.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle this season but put those disappointments behind him here, although McCoy remained sceptical.

"For whatever reason, I don't think he's at anywhere near the level of form he was showing last season," the champion jockey said.


"I suppose you could say that he won, that he might still be progressing and that he might progress again on better ground at Cheltenham, but I still think he's a bit off-it.

"I was very confident that he would winthe Champion last year, but he didn't, and this season his form hasn't been as good. He hasn't given me the same feel in a race. He feels like you're always having to keep an eye on the leaders, whereas last season it didn't matter where the leaders were."

Reaction from bookmakers was also minimal as William Hill left him an unchanged 6-1 chance for the Smurfit Kappa-sponsored championship, although the firm had cut Nicky Henderson's representative from 8-1 earlier on Saturday. Coral went 7-1 from the same price.

Binocular, sent off the 1-7 favouriteat Sandown, raced towards the rear of the field as Marodima, predictably, went on with Dee Ee Williams between the pair in second.

McCoy was content to bide his time and only took closer order on the leading two leaving the back straight.

As Marodima's challenge ended, it was left to Binocular and Dee Ee Williams (8-1) to do battle.

However, once Binocular was sent to do the job by McCoy, he quickened smartly and jockey and horse were never extended in seeing off the Nick Gifford-trained seven-year-old.

Henderson was more encouraged than McCoy by Binocular's display and thought Sandown's track played to his strengths.

The trainer said: "It's quite tacky for him but he really enjoyed himself and that's all you can ask. He did what he had to do and that was the objective.



"He enjoys the big tracks better than the sharper ones and he's progressed since Kempton, although I'm not saying he's the whole way there."

Despite his pessimism, McCoy still thinks Binocular could have a part to play at Cheltenham in March.

He added: "I'm probably gloomy because of the expectations I've had for the horse. Obviously, though, his trainer is a master at getting horses to perform at Cheltenham and he's peaking him for there not for today."

I wonder how much loss you would be having backed McCoy's mounts the last 2-3 weeks

DATE RACE CONDITIONS RACE OUTCOME TRAINER RPR DIFF
05Feb10 Ban 24GS C2HcH 11K 2/7 2¾L, Money Order[4/1]11-2 B G Powell — —
05Feb10 Ban 20GS C4NvHcH 3K 2/12 1¾L, American Cricket[100/30F]11-10 A M Hales — —
05Feb10 Ban 17GS C44yMdH 2K 2/6 6L, Braveheart Move[6/1]10-12 Jonjo O'Neill — —
04Feb10 Wcn 16Hy C3HcH 5K 2/8 1¼L, Novikov[11/4F]11-4tp P D Evans 122 0
04Feb10 Wcn 16Hy C2NvHcCh 10K 2/3 16L, Franchoek[2/1]10-10 A King 115 -6
04Feb10 Wcn 16Hy C3NvH 5K 3/8 3¾L, Black Coffee[5/1]11-12 N J Henderson 115 3
04Feb10 Wcn 22Hy C4NvH 2K 1/7 ½L, Topsham Belle[1/4F]11-6 N J Henderson 116 -1
02Feb10 Tau 17GS C4NvH 3K 6/12 13½L, Via Galilei[9/4]11-3 G L Moore 93 —
30Jan10 Chl 17Sft C2HcH 11K 11/16 17½L, Stradbrook[16/1]11-0 Jonjo O'Neill 123 -9
30Jan10 Chl 24Sft C1HG2 28K 6/13 32L, Lough Derg[9/1]11-8v D E Pipe 139 -22
30Jan10 Chl 21Sft C1HcChG3 28K PU/12 Perce Rock[11/1]11-8 T Stack 120 -32
30Jan10 Chl 21Sft C2NvHcCh 14K 5/11 36L, Doctor Pat[5/2F]10-12 F Doumen 110 -18
30Jan10 Chl 17Sft C14yNvHG2 15K 6/7 55L, Good Lord[11/1]11-0 F Doumen 69 -52
29Jan10 Nby 23Sft C3HcCh 8K 4/12 16½L, The Vicar[14/1]11-12tp Miss H C Knight 131 -8
29Jan10 Nby 25Sft C4MdH 2K 1/10 6L, Adams Island[2/1]11-0 Miss Rebecca Curtis 125 —
29Jan10 Nby 19Sft C2HcH 10K 3/11 1L, City Theatre[14/1]10-13 Jonjo O'Neill 125 12
29Jan10 Nby 19Sft C3NvCh 5K 3/3 40L, Sunnyhillboy[7/1]11-4 Jonjo O'Neill 110 -12
29Jan10 Nby 17Sft C4NvH 2K 12/15 61L, Salpierre[25/1]11-4 Jonjo O'Neill 53 —
28Jan10 Ffo 16GS C6NHF 1K 8/12 33L, Celtic Carol[6/1]11-2 P J Rothwell 71 -30
28Jan10 Ffo 21GS C4NvHcCh 5K 1/12 ½L, Afistfullofpebbles[7/2]11-10 Jonjo O'Neill 127 6
28Jan10 Ffo 24GS C4HcH 3K 2/16 4L, Hopeful Start[9/2]11-7 Jonjo O'Neill 114 23
28Jan10 Ffo 20GS C4MdH 3K 3/13 7¼L, Black Jack Blues[9/4F]11-5 Miss Rebecca Curtis 107 -8
28Jan10 Ffo 16GS C4MdH 2K 3/13 11L, Praxiteles[6/4F]11-4 Miss Rebecca Curtis 100 1
28Jan10 Ffo 16GS C4MdH 2K 13/14 39L, Kensington Oval[20/1]11-4 Jonjo O'Neill 58 -35
27Jan10 Hun 21Sft C4NvHcH 2K 7/15 24L, Victory Surge[7/2F]11-9 Jonjo O'Neill 90 -14
27Jan10 Hun 24Sft C3HcCh 5K 5/10 20L, Rate Of Knots[3/1]11-10 Jonjo O'Neill 114 -13
27Jan10 Hun 17Sft C4NvH 2K 5/14 19½L, Lost Glory[25/1]11-2 Jonjo O'Neill 93 —
27Jan10 Hun 17Sft C4NvH 2K 14/14 59L, Lots Of Fun[33/1]11-4 Jonjo O'Neill 55 —
26Jan10 Lei 24GS C4HcCh 3K 3/13 18L, Grand Bay[4/1F]11-10t Jonjo O'Neill 99 —
25Jan10 Fon 14Sft C6NHF 1K 7/13 23L, Nobby Kivambo[8/1]11-4 B G Powell 84 —
25Jan10 Fon 23Sft C3HcH 8K 4/11 18L, Night Orbit[9/1]11-8 Miss J Feilden 121 -8
25Jan10 Fon 22Sft C3NvCh 5K 3/5 13L, Synchronised[9/4]11-8 Jonjo O'Neill 141 -4
24Jan10 Leo 20Sft/Hy HcH 9K 1/22 2½L, Colbert Station[9/2]10-9t T M Walsh 132 12
24Jan10 Leo 20Sft/Hy NvHG2 24K 5/7 22L, Judge Roy Bean[13/2]11-6 E J O'Grady 125 -16
24Jan10 Leo 17Hy NvChG1 46K 3/7 21L, Take The Breeze[5/2]11-12 P F Nicholls 129 -29
23Jan10 Asc 20Sft C3NvH 5K 3/12 4½L, Lush Life[7/4F]11-2 N J Henderson 116 —
23Jan10 Asc 22Sft C2HcCh 43K PU/13 Will Be Done[3/1F]11-7 D McCain Jnr — —
23Jan10 Asc 17Sft C1ChG1 59K 2/7 12L, Petit Robin[15/8]11-7 N J Henderson 164 0
23Jan10 Asc 24Sft C1HG2 28K PU/8 Strawberry[5/2F]11-0 N J Henderson — —
23Jan10 Asc 17Sft C3NvHcCh 6K F/7 Reindeer Dippin[11/10F]11-12 D McCain Jnr — —

Plenty, but still the best imo

A P McCoy 156–677 23% 107 77 65 £789,266 £1,196,746 -119.48