RACING/ROUND UP: Following a short spell in the sidings, the Tony McCoy bandwagon was back on track at Taunton yesterday as the champion jockey landed a double aboard Samon and Mark Equal for Martin Pipe.
Samon, a German import purchased by Graham Bradley for football stars Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler, came up trumps on his British debut with an all-the-way verdict over Isio in the Staple Fitzpaine Novices' Hurdle.
Backed from 100 to 30 to 6 to 4 the McCoy-ridden gelding held off the challenge of the runner-up by three and a half lengths and Pipe commented: "I think that was a decent race by Taunton standards and the horse will be entered for both novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.
"I'm so glad for the team of Steve and Robbie as they have been lucky owners with me and fair play to Graham for spotting this one in Germany where he had won on the Flat a few times."
Classy performer and successful stallion Unfuwain - sire of top-class fillies Lailani and Petrushka - died at the age of 17 yesterday. The Dick Hern-trained colt was a winner of six races, including the Princess Of Wales's Stakes and the General Accident Jockey Club Stakes, both Group Two events at Newmarket.
