ALTHOUGH champion jockey Tony McCoy took the riding honours at Hereford on Monday with a double from his three booked rides, it was the performance of Flying Falcon from the Kings Caple yard of Venetia Williams in the Bumper race that took the eye, writes Graham Saveker.

Flying Falcon had previously won in good style at Wincanton on his previous run and, under leading conditional jockey Sam Thomas, he destroyed an admittedly moderate field of opponents for an emphatic 26- length win.

Tony McCoy scored a double, following his double the previous day at Fontwell, on the Oliver Sherwood trained Musimaro in the novices selling hurdle, after which connections had to go to 6,000 gns to retain at the subsequent auction, and Sharp Rigging in the juvenile novices

McCoy's 'safety first' policy of being more selective in his mounts reflects the challenge that Madley jockey Richard Johnson is giving the champion this season.

McCoy commented: "My agent Dave Roberts has got that bit more fussy about the rides he books for me. I think he is doing the right thing because if he only puts me on horses with a realistic chances, I'm less likely to get myself into trouble or, more importantly, get injured."