Legendary jockey snatches victory from the jaws of defeat ... again!
Throughout a career forged out of winning on horses that no other jockey would have got over the finishing line first, there are certain rides that stick out in the record of AP McCoy - the outstanding effort on Wichita Lineman at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival, getting Hennessy up late at Sandown the same year (hit an in-play high of 100), or the remounting of Family Business in a novice chase at Southwell in 2002, to name just three.
The latest we can add to the list is the victory of Drill Sergeant in the two-mile novice hurdle at Haydock on Wednesday. Things looked to be going smoothly for Drill Sergeant early on, McCoy having established a clear lead on the Donald McCain-trained novice, who had been sent off the favourite at a BSP of 2.15.
However, rounding the paddock bend on the first circuit Drill Sergeant pulled himself up, and his 15-length lead quickly eroded as he found himself in last place, hitting a high of 120.0 in running. The task looked hopeless at that point but, using what was described by Racing UK pundit Graham Cunningham as 'the iron hand in a velvet' glove', McCoy cajoled Drill Sergeant back into a prominent pitch.
Drill Sergeant was back in front three out, but several of his rivals were laying down strong-looking challenges at that point, and it needed a further demonstration of McCoy's strength in the saddle to deny Brother Bob, who touched and in-running low of 1.22.
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