News: Tony McCoy proved his fitness ahead of some high-profile rides at the weekend when making a winning return to action on Ursis at Wetherby yesterday, days after dislocating his thumb.

The champion jockey, who is due to ride First Gold in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and Baracouda in the Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday, got his thumb stuck in the reins when he was thrown from Flying Patriarch before the Daily Mail Juvenile Hurdle at Folkestone.

Initial fears that he had suffered a fracture proved unfounded but X-rays revealed that he had dislocated his thumb at the tip.

But he bounced back when giving three-year-old Ursis (4 to 1) a supremely confident ride in the Countryside Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Jonjo O'Neill's ex-French colt was always going well on his jumps debut and cruised into the lead at the final flight before drawing five lengths clear of Dhehdaah at the line.

McCoy, who had to pass the racecourse doctor before being given the go ahead to ride, said: "The hand is all right but it didn't have to be when you're riding a horse like that."