McCoy gets the thumbs up

13 April 2012

AP McCoy will confirm his status as the iron man of jump racing when he returns to action at Wetherby tomorrow just nine days after sustaining an injury which one doctor suggested would take up to eight weeks to heal.

The Ulsterman dislocated his right thumb in a pre-race accident at Folkestone last Monday but has had intensive treatment from a hand specialist and will head north in order to partner Ursis and She's No Muppet for Jonjo O'Neill.

"I'll need support on it for a week or two, but the injury was only to the tip of the thumb and the bottom of the joint is fine," he said.

"It's been more of an inconvenience than painful and probably looked worse than it felt, but it's healing well and it will be nice to get back before the Hennessy meeting at Newbury this weekend."

McCoy is pencilled in to partner First Gold in Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup and is particularly looking forward to replacing the retired Thierry Doumen aboard Baracouda in the Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle.

Francois Doumen's stable star was beaten by Iris's Gift in a memorable duel for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham last season but has been cut to 7-4 to retrieve his title by Ladbrokes after it emerged that Rhinestone Cowboy will miss the rest of the season through injury.

There is unlikely to be much 7-4 available at Newbury, though fears of very small field for Saturday's race eased somewhat today when the reopened contest attracted 10 entries including Telemoss, Crystal D'Ainay and Mistanoora.

Meanwhile, memories of one of the most controversial Hennessys on record will be revived at Chepstow tomorrow when Be My Royal makes a remarkable return to action in the KPMG Handicap Hurdle.

The 10-year-old battled on heroically to pip Gingembre in the Newbury showpiece two years ago only to break down with what was reported as a career-ending tendon problem as he passed the post.

Insult was added to injury when the race was taken away from him because of a positive morphine test which remains the subject of a costly legal action, but Be My Royal has since left Willie Mullins and will bid to resurrect his career under the care of Gloucestershire trainer Tom George.

"He's been here about a year and I'm very happy with him," he said.

"He's had a thorough vet's examination and, although it's been a long time since he ran now, he seems in great form."

Latest betting for Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup (Coral odds): 7-2 Celestial Gold, 7 Joly Bey, Lord Transcend, 8 Ollie Magern, 9 Royal Auclair, 10 Ballycassidy, 11 Nil Desperandum, 12 bar.

McCoy gets the thumbs up

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