McCoy marching towards 4000

Tony McCoy is riding better than ever at present and now has a total of 3994 winners to his credit. He is almost certain to hit the magic mark of 4000 in the immediate future, and it could even be today, when he has 6 rides at Carlisle. 6 rides - six winners - this seems almost inconceivable - but McCoy has set so many records previously thought impossible that nothing is beyond this man. He rode a fivetimer at this course only a few days ago, and as all of his mounts look likely to start favourite, he ought to have several winners today. We especially like Holywell at 14.30 CET, a smart hurdler making his chasing debut, and Oscar Fortune at 15.05, both for Jonjo O´Neill, while Tap Digit, trained by Lucinda Russell, also has good prospects in the main feature, a listed chase at 15.40. The only race in which McCoy is not riding is the handicap hurdle at 16.10, where we choose Pete (Ferdy Murtagh/ Graham Watters), runner-up over this CD last time.
The N.H.meeting at Huntingdon is very low key but there is some interesting racing at Cork in Ireland, where the Cork Grand National over 3 1/2 miles at 16.25 is the main event. With 19 runners, this looks wide open and several trainers have multiple entries. Willie Mullins has two and Ruby Walsh has rather surprisingly (in our view) chosen Rockyaboya, who like many of the others is totally unproven at this trip. One who will certainly stay well enough and who goes well on this ground is Tarquinius (Gordon Elliott/ Keith Donoghue), and with the stable in great form, we make him the selection. Mullins and Walsh can in any case take the Grade Three novice hurdle at 14.40 with Indevan, who has been first or second on all his starts so far; he is also unproven at the trip, this time 3 miles, but certainly runs as if he will get it.
Leopardstown today stages what is the last flat racing on turf in Ireland this season, with two listed races. As we saw last night in Santa Anita, Aidan O´Brien still has his string in great form and can take the 2yo race at 15.35 with Mekong Rover (Samus Heffernan). He has won all 3 starts so far and although tjhis Opposition is tzougher, can score again with first-time blinkers. In the 7 furlongs race at 15.00 he saddles the lightly-raced Francis of Assisi (Heffernan), but in our view one horse stands out here by miles and that is Big Break (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen). The sister to Fame and Glory was 4th in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and although she has not really lived up to expectations she is much better than listed class; both her career wins have come over this CD and the soft ground is just what she wants.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Bernardelli - Frontier Vic - Turtle Watch
2. Race: Knock A Hand - Many Clouds - Walkabout Creek
3. Race: Oscar Fortune - Splash Of Ginge - Deputy Dan
4. Race: Tap Night - Hazy Tom - Cloudy Too
5. Race: Pete - The Weatherman - Funky Munky
6. Race: Bescot Springs - No Planning - Mister Marker
7. Race: Red Lion Rock - Ski Guide - Chebsey Beau