Fehily loses ride in Hennessy after breaking wrist aboard Rivaliste
Published:Noel Fehily has broken his wrist after a heavy fall aboard Rivaliste at Newbury on Friday, and will lose his rides on Paul Nicholls’ champion horses over the next month.
Noel Fehily had been booked in to ride the likes of Kauto Star, Big Bucks and Neptune Collonges in Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, but his wrist injury is likely to keep him out until the New Year.
It means 15-time champion jockey AP McCoy will deputise for Fehily after Newcastle’s race meeting was abandoned, and the fact that McCoy is aboard Neptunes Collonges means the current price of 14/1 for Neptune Collonges to win the Hennessy is certain to shorten over the course of tomorrow.
McCoy is looking good for a double tomorrow with his rides on Big Bucks, favourite for the 2.30pm Long Distance Hurdle, and Binocular, favourite for the 12.55pm Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
And should he pass the winning post first on Neptunes Collonges in the feature race of the day, it will be a trip well saved for McCoy who was supposed to be riding in Newcastle until snow forced the meeting to be cancelled.
While the Hennessy Gold Cup tops the billing at Newbury tomorrow, the return of Big Bucks is a major attraction as last year’s Cheltenham Festival winner makes his first appearance of the season.
With Ruby Walsh and Fehily now on the sidelines for Nicholls, AP McCoy is the favourite to ride Kauto Star in the King George on Boxing Day at Kempton, a race Kauto Star is currently the 5/4 favourite for.
McCoy may earn the plaudits come tomorrow evening, but all eyes will be on Denman at 3.05pm as he looks to create history and win his third Hennessy Gold Cup.
A £10 stake on Denman winning the Hennessy Gold Cup would return £50. New customers can sign up here for a free £10 bet.
