McCoy breaks record at Warwick

Tony McCoy today broke Sir Gordon Richards` all-time winners in a season record when chalking up his 270th winner of the season at Warwick.

McCoy`s success on Valfonic, in the Leek Wooton Novices` Handicap Hurdle, took him past the previous best mark of 269.

The 4/1 winner marked the third leg of a magnificent treble for the Co. Antrim jockey.

He had scored on the Charles Morlock-trained Shepherds Rest to finally match the record he has been on the verge of for the last four weeks.

The champion jockey had earlier got off the mark for the day by winning the second race, the Hampton Magna Novices` Chase on Shampooed.

The treble ended a comparatively lean spell which has seen him rack up just 15 winners in the last month.

McCoy displayed the tenacity that has earned him record after record during his career with a typically strong ride on his boss Martin Pipe`s Valfonic.

The four-year-old looked to be struggling but McCoy conjured a run out of Pipe`s horse to seal his place in racing history.

And McCoy said after returning on Valfonic: 'Obviously it`s brilliant to get there in the end. It`s taken a while as I keep saying I can`t make the horses go any faster as much as I`d like to be able to but I can`t.

'I actually thought I would struggle today as I thought Shampooed, Shepherds Rest and this one just had chances and I`m obviously really pleased that all three have won.'

Pipe was quick to praise his stable jockey, with whom he has enjoyed so much success in recent seasons.

He said: 'Brilliant wasn`t it? It`s absolutely brilliant that he should beat Sir Gordon Richards` record and I`m thrilled to bits for him.

'I`m highly delighted he was on one of my horses. He deserves it, he`s a dedicated, brilliant jockey.

'Only this morning he was down schooling my team of horses for the National over National fences that we built.

'Not only did he school his own ride but other people`s too. He`s a fabulous, generous team player.'

Channel Four`s John McCririck hailed McCoy`s achievement and believes there has never been a rider to match him.

He said: 'The man is a colossus. We have never seen his like before.

'Sir Gordon Richards was a colossus of his age and a tremendous jockey but we have to remember that McCoy is riding over jumps with all the perils and dangers that entails.'

Former champion jump jockey and Channel Four pundit John Francome also paid tribute to McCoy and believes Sir Gordon would also be pleased with McCoy`s landmark.

He said: 'I`m sure that will be a relief for him!

'I`m absolutely delighted for him.

'I know Frankie Dettori tried to equal the record a few years ago but got absolutely exhausted doing it.

'55 years is a long time for any record to stand. I knew Sir Gordon Richards well and he would have been thrilled.'