Londoner back in Triumph picture

Londoner bounced back into the reckoning for the JCB Triumph Hurdle when making up for a disastrous hurdling debut last month with a workmanlike victory at Taunton today.

The David Johnson-owned four-year-old initiated a three-timer for champion duo Martin Pipe and Tony McCoy as they went on to collect with Bernardon and Lady Turk.

Londoner had badly fluffed his lines at Kempton last month when unceremoniously dumping Tom Scudamore but McCoy always had matters under control on this occasion before beating Dancing Bay by a length and three quarters in division one of the St Valentine`s Day Maiden Hurdle.

Pipe expressed himself happy with the performance of Londoner saying: 'At least it was an improvement on last time!

'He settled well and jumped well today and that wasn`t bad for a four-year-old taking on older horses.

'Tony actually came down to the yard this morning and put him over five hurdles just to make sure.

'He`s had intensive schooling at home since being a bit naughty at Kempton and we`ve been happy with him.'

Coral reacted by trimming Londoner to 10-1 clear favourite for the Triumph Hurdle from 12-1.

German import Bernardon carried the colours of football stars Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler to a very comfortable success in the second division of the race with McCoy barely flexing a muscle before seeing off Celtic Star by half a dozen lengths.

Lady Turk`s easy 10-length verdict over Oo Ee Be in the Taunton Racecourse Wedding Licence Selling Hurdle made it 239 winners for McCoy and he is well on course to better Sir Gordon Richard`s record 269 victories in a season.

However, the winner will not be returning to Pipe`s yard as she was the subject of some spirited bidding at the subsequent auction before eventually being knocked down to Robert Tizzard for 10,200 guineas.