CHAMPION IS BACK: Tony McCoy returns to racing action at Hereford today after being sidelined for eight weeks with a badly broken right wrist. The champion jump jockey makes his comeback on Absolutelythebest, trained by John O'Shea, in the opening World Bet Exchange wbx.com Novices' Hurdle.
McCoy partnered the five-year-old to victory on his latest outing at Market Rasen in July and the trainer is hoping for another success. He will also be in action aboard Jonjo O'Neill's Bouncy Castle in the concluding World Bet Exchange wbx.com Maiden Open NH Flat Race.
The rider sustained his injury on Sporting Limerick at the Galway Festival on August 2nd, but has been riding out for several days in preparation for his return. He has seen his lead in the jockeys' title race whittle away with conditional Tom O'Brien (nephew of Aidan O'Brien), who has three rides at Hereford, having joined him on the 49 mark thanks to a winner at Sedgefield on Tuesday. Richard Johnson is just two behind.
Ladbrokes go 7 to 4 that McCoy will not reach 170 winners and therefore post his lowest season total for over a decade and offer the same price about him riding between 170 and 185 and also 7 to 4 about him getting more than 185.
MIDDLE PARK STAKES: Coventry Stakes hero Hellvelyn is primed for a big run in the Group One £170,000 Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow. The Bryan Smart-trained two-year-old won his first three starts, before being beaten by Holy Roman Emperor in the Phoenix Stakes last month.
Smart said: "I couldn't be more pleased with him and he's going to Newmarket in good order. I'm hoping for a big run in what looks to be a very competitive race." Peter Chapple-Hyam's unbeaten juvenile Dutch Art heads a high-class field of six for the six-furlong feature, while Aidan O'Brien relies on Brave Tin Soldier, a Listed scorer last time out.
JOCKEYS' HEARING: Robert Winston, Fran Ferris, Robbie Fitzpatrick and Luke Fletcher are set to face a Horseracing Regulatory Authority hearing in January. The four were charged with "the passing of information for reward and aiding the commission of a corrupt practice" last month following a HRA investigation.
Former licensed bookmaker Ian Nicholl and four other unlicensed individuals were also charged in relation to 37 races that took place between June 2003 and February 2004.
A directions hearing at the HRA has pinpointed a date of January 10th for the substantive hearing to begin and it is estimated to last 10 days.
A hearing of an application by Winston that he has no case to answer has been scheduled for November 20th and 21st, while the HRA have also set aside December 7th for a pre-inquiry hearing, if it is needed.
