McCoy Cruelly Denied 3000th Tony McCoy fell at the last on Miss Sarenne with his 3,000th winner over jumps at his mercy at Plumpton on Monday. The pair had pulled clear with only the final hurdle an obstacle when Nicky Henderson's mare came crashing to the ground in the Weatherbys Festival Betting Guide 2009 Mares' Novices' Hurdle. Both horse and jockey came away from the incident unscathed and 5-1 shot Quasia took advantage to win the race. Earlier McCoy notched his 2,999th winner over jumps with a vintage ride on Hello Moscow in the Chris Poole And George Ennor Memorial Handicap Hurdle. The 4-1 second favourite looked to be struggling on the second circuit of the 2m5f heat but responded to strong pressure from the 13-times champion to take up the lead half a mile from home. Maraafeq looked to be a real danger when cruising on the run-in but he was soon toiling in the desperate ground while Hello Moscow opened up a two-length lead with McCoy at his power-packed best. Spider Boy almost spoiled the party in the dying strides but Hello Moscow held on to edge McCoy closer to his unique landmark. Winning trainer Jim Best said of the winner: "He's just idle, he doesn't do an awful lot - I think we'll have to put some headgear on him at some stage. "He saw it out well in the end and it's great to get him (McCoy) one step nearer to 3,000.'' The Irishman had been out of luck on his first ride of the day as Excape trailed in seventh behind Ray Diamond. McCoy's mount, trained by Nicky Henderson, was last week heavily backed for the Triumph Hurdle, but struggled in the desperate conditions. Michael Madgwick's Ray Diamond (33-1) appeared to relish the ground, though, and made nearly all the running under Marc Goldstein to hold off the 2-1 favourite First Avenue by half a length.
