
Binocular was an impressive winner of this year's Champion Hurdle.(credit:
Carine06)
Tony McCoy was delighted that new champion hurdler Binocular finally fulfilled the potential - and is already looking forward to next year.
Having finished third in the race 12 months previously, McCoy had been left scratching his head at his performances earlier in the season.
However, he bounced right back to his best to run out one of the most impressive winners since Istabraq, also owned by McCoy's boss, JP McManus.
"Good horses like that are pretty hard to come by," said the champion jockey.
"Since I started riding him I believed he could be that good and when he fulfilled that potential it makes it all the more enjoyable.
"It's great for JP and Noreen (McManus) as well, National Hunt racing is lucky to have owners like them.
"Where he goes next will be left up to the owner and trainer, but as long as he gets back to Cheltenham in the same form in 12 months' time, that is the main thing."
McCoy was also seen at his best in the Trevor Hemmings-silks on Albertas Run in the Ryanair Chase which proved a nice fillip for the owner, who missed the meeting.
"Albertas Run winning was great for Trevor as he has been unwell so it was a nice tonic for him," said McCoy.
"He's a good horse, he was second to Kauto Star in the King George last season, he's won an RSA Chase, he was a proper Grade One horse in the Ryanair.
"Poquelin, who was second, had won a handicap and so had Tranquil Sea, there were obviously a few Grade One winners like Voy Por Ustedes but Albertas Run was every bit as entitled to win it as any of them.
"However many winners you ride, you still want to ride big winners and horses like Binocular are very hard to come by.
"No matter how many winners you ride trying to get on good horses is not easy so it was very enjoyable from that point of view."
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