Horse Racing

McCoy one win away from 4,000th victory

ESPN staff

November 6, 2013

AP McCoy's bid to ride 4,000 winners look set to be delayed by another day © PA Photos

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AP McCoy moved within one victory of 4,000 career wins after picking up a spare ride at Chepstow.

The 18-time champion jockey, who claimed his 3,998th career victory at Kempton on Monday, drew a blank at Exeter on Tuesday with the milestone in his sights, and looked set to remain adrift of the milestone when the second of his rides in Wales, Mission Complete, was pulled out of the meeting because of the rain-softened ground.

McCoy finished fifth on El Macca in Wedensday's opening maiden hurdle, but Jonjo O'Neill offered him a ride on Minella For Steak in the 2.40 handicap hurdle.

After winning on the 3-1 favourite, McCoy admitted asking O'Neill for the ride on the race favourite.

"He's been running on better ground and he's won twice now on the heaviest ground possible," McCoy told BBC Sport.

"We're all supposed to be experts in this game and if anyone was riding him, or had anything to do with him, you wouldn't believe he could win on this ground.

"I'm glad that Jonjo let me ride him. I had to ring him and ask."

McCoy is the only jump jockey to have ridden 3,000 winners. His closest rival is Richard Johnson, with 2,551 wins.

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ESPN staff