Tony McCoy was mercifully still in one piece as he completed his last day’s jump racing before the Cheltenham Festival. But the strength of his hand at what will be his final Festival foray continues to be the subject of background negotiation which will probably continue into midweek.
Some clues emerged as a large number of top-tier trainers convened here on Saturday for Imperial Cup day, possibly most significant among them the news that McCoy is expected to ride Uxizandre in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday. There is no great surprise about that, as Uxizandre carries the colours of JP McManus, McCoy’s main employer for years, but the jockey was allowed to ride against that one at last year’s Festival and beat him narrowly aboard Taquin Du Seuil, which proved to be the rider’s only success of the four days.
Taquin Du Seuil will also line up in the Ryanair but his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, said he had booked Noel Fehily, having little doubt that McCoy will be on Uxizandre this time. Fehily has not ridden the horse before but will be given a chance to sit on him early this week.
Debate continues as to whether If In Doubt should tackle the RSA Chase on Wednesday or skip Cheltenham altogether in favour of the Midlands National on Saturday. Sara Hobbs, wife of his trainer, Philip, said McCoy favoured the RSA while the trainer would rather wait for Uttoxeter.
Frank Berry, the racing manager to McManus, said plans for If In Doubt were “up in the air” and would probably remain so for a couple of days. However, he said McCoy would be on Jollyallan for the Festival’s opening race, the Supreme Novice Hurdle on Tuesday, rather than Alvisio Ville, for whom a jockey is yet to be decided.
Berry would not confirm that McCoy’s final Festival ride will be on Ned Buntline, favourite for the Grand Annual, a race which will be named after the jockey for this year only, but Berry conceded that it seemed the most likely outcome. “It’s a long way from now to Friday,” he cautioned.
Rock On Ruby will not run in Thursday’s World Hurdle, for which he had been an 8-1 shot, having scoped dirty after a disappointing piece of work on Saturday morning. His trainer, Harry Fry, said he still hoped to get the horse to Aintree next month.
Ruby Walsh confirmed he would ride Faugheen in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle rather than Hurricane Fly, both horses having reportedly arrived at Cheltenham in good condition. Their trainer, Willie Mullins, said Annie Power would run in the Mares Hurdle rather than the World Hurdle, though that announcement came before the news about Rock On Ruby.
