Tony McCoy was out of luck on his last ever ride at Cheltenham as Milan Bound finished down the field in the Barbury International Supporting IJF Handicap Hurdle.
McCoy will bring his glittering career to an end on the final day of the National Hunt season at Sandown on Saturday week and after failing to find the target after two rides at Prestbury Park on Wednesday, his mount aboard the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Milan Bound being his final opportunity to return to the hallowed winner’s enclosure at the home of jumps racing.
McCoy settled the 100/30 joint-favourite in midfield for much of the three-mile journey before making headway to race on the heels of the leaders coming down the hill.
He looked in with a chance of securing a fairytale result jumping the second flight from the finish, but his effort petered out in the straight and he passed the post a well-beaten seventh.
Victory went to Milan Bound’s main market rival Aqalim, with John Ferguson’s charge galloping nine lengths clear of Kingsmere in the hands of Aidan Coleman.
McCoy will retire having ridden a toal of 192 winners at Cheltenham including 31 at the Festival.
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Dan and Harry Skelton completed a fantastic couple of days at the track by combining to land two of the three mares’ Listed events on the afternoon.
Trainer Dan Skelton also enjoyed a Cheltenham double on Wednesday, while his brother and stable jockey Harry brought up his half-century for the season.
Stephanie Frances got the ball rolling for the Warwickshire team on day two as she readily obliged as the 9/4 favourite for the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
“It’s embarrassing it’s taken me as long as it has to learn everything I need to know about her,” said the trainer.
“When I bought her two years ago she was one of my big hopes and I probably put too much pressure on her and everything that could go wrong went wrong.
“She doesn’t train in the winter at all and if you can, by the time you get her to the track the ground’s soft and she’s no chance anyway.
“I just took my time a little bit more this year and when she’s in form she’s very good. She’ll definitely go to Haydock for the Swinton Hurdle now.”
The Skeltons struck gold once more in the European Breeders’ Fund/Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novices’ Chase Final, with 9/1 shot Pumped Up Kicks surviving a final-fence mistake to seal a comprehensive nine-length success.
Harry Skelton said: “She jumped brilliantly at Ascot last time in a decent race and that just brought her on nicely for today. This better ground helped her as well.
“I wasn’t sure how strong a race it was, but I didn’t expect her to win like that. She won well, despite me messing it up going to the last.
“There’s great prize-money for these mares’ races.”
The Fergal O’Brien-trained The Govaness clinched a second course victory in the OLBG.com Supports Mares’ Jump Racing Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
The 3/1 favourite was in a battle with Broxbourne and Blue Buttons jumping the final flight, but saw them off up the hill under Paddy Brennan.
O’Brien told Racing UK: “The plan wasn’t to be so far back but she was keen early on and Paddy was happy to leave her.
“He came through with a beautiful run, she was very honest going to the last and made a hole for herself before going on up the hill.
“She’s been great for us and we’re lucky to have her. I haven’t spoke to the owners yet, but there is a three-mile handicap at Haydock for her. I’d like to run her again as she likes this ground and she’s in great form, so why put her away?”
Brennan completed a double aboard Tom George’s 7/2 favourite A Good Skin in the Endsleigh Nicholson Holman Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase and a fine day’s work was completed for Brennan when the Stuart Kittow-trained Tobouggaloo (16/1) took the concluding Spreadex Sports And Financial Betting Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat Race.
Lamb Or Cod (7/2 favourite) bounced back to form to take the Llewellyn Humphreys Handicap Chase for trainer Philip Hobbs and jockey Richard Johnson.
Hobbs said: “I didn’t think he was going to win coming down the hill, but he kept going. “He’ll definitely run again because he definitely doesn’t want soft ground.”
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