Tony McCoy endured another frustrating afternoon chasing Sir Gordon Richards's record-breaking 269 winners in a season at Chepstow when partnering only one success aboard Carandrew.
And to make matter worse, the champion was adjudged to have used his whip in the incorrect place on runner-up Copeland in the featured Welsh Champion Hurdle yesterday and stood down for two days (April 10-11) but now all roads will lead to Warwick tomorrow where McCoy needs two winners from five booked rides to equal Richards's long-standing total.
However, he admitted his quest for the record is becoming more elusive by the day.
He said: "It's taking a long time and it's off to Warwick where I have five rides and hopefully there may be a couple of winning chances amongst them. If I don't do it there, I don't know where I will be riding on Wednesday at the moment.
"You get to presume nothing when you are doing this as I've been beaten on a couple I thought would win today. As I've just said, its taking a long time to get there, but hopefully it will come and I will keep going."
Carandrew's victory in the National Hunt Credit Card Claiming Hurdle over stable-mate Potentate got McCoy off to a flying start but it was a case of downhill there after.
Cesaria was sent off favourite for the Weatherbys Eclipse Pedigrees Handicap Hurdle but she ran much too freely in a first-time visor and finished a well-beaten fifth behind winner Granny Rich.
Samsaam looked to have a good chance of following up his recent Wincanton win but the gelding failed to jump fluently before being pulled up before the second last in the Dianne and Pete Hodges Novice Hurdle behind all-the-way winner Haydens Field.
McCoy had high hopes of Copeland dishing out a beating and giving weight to all his rivals in the Welsh Champion Hurdle but Martin Pipe's seven-year-old went under by a neck to Vol Solitaire.
Max Pride chased eventual winner Ross Minster up the home straight in the Leatherby and Christopher Handicap chase but weakened rapidly to finish fourth and was eventually pulled up after the line and found to be lame.
Richard Johnson proved to be the jockey to follow at the Welsh track as he racked up a 584-1 four-timer.
He won aboard Granny Rich (9-4), Sadler's Realm (4-1), Haydens Field (7-2) and Ross Minster (7-1) to have a bumper Bank Holiday.
* Pictured: Tony McCoy, riding Carandrew, opens his record-breaking attempt at the National Hunt Credit Card Claiming Hurdle at Chepstow
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