TONY McCOY, who has ridden winners in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales since his announcement last Saturday that he is set to retire at the end of the season, can continue his typically relentless quest for success this afternoon.

The star of the show at Catterick on Monday when he rode one winner from his two mounts, McCoy is in action today on the other side of the Pennines at Haydock where he can lift the £75,000 Betfred Grand National Trial on Monbeg Dude.

The Michael Scudamore-trained gelding has four chasing wins to his credit, most notably the Welsh National of 2013.

He ran a fine race in the latest renewal of that Chepstow marathon to finish fourth to Emperor’s Choice, a performance which enabled him to finish in the frame in all his three outings this season.

Monbeg Dude still has a tendency to blunder through an occasional fence, but in McCoy, he has a jockey who can get him organised.

Success for the pair in this prestigious race, a stepping-stone to the Grand National in April, would be warmly received by Haydock racegoers, not to mention by winning punters.

McCoy will be aboard his old ally At Fishers Cross in the Betfred Hurdle over three miles.

Unbeatable as a novice, the eight-year-old has been rather hit-and-miss since and it is now a season and a half since he last won a race.

Given his winless record, it may pay to look elsewhere.

Seeyouatmidnight won this contest 12 months ago during a season in which he went from strength to strength. He has yet to race this season, so his fitness and well-being having to be taken on trust, but he is too useful to dismiss lightly. Brian Hughes rides.

Tim Easterby has good prospects of winning the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle with Run Ructions Run.

The North Yorkshire mare finished a good third at Musselburgh in a similar race last time out and looks capable to producing a bold show.

The unbeaten Top Notch (1.45) and the smart Fletcher’s Flyer (4.00), winner of three of his four outings this season, are two others to consider in Lancashire.

At Ascot, Balder Succes gets the vote in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase, which boasts £150,000 in prize money.

Alan King’s talented seven-year-old deservedly came good after some fine efforts in defeat at Kempton last time with a ten-length success in Listed company. A winner of a Grade 1 race at Aintree last season, he is capable of adding this valuable prize to his list of achievements.

Carole’s Destrier may prove the answer to the Weatherbys Hamilton Chase.

Pulled-up on his first outing of the season, Neil Mulholland’s gelding performed markedly better at Cheltenham on his latest outing when fourth to Generous Ransom, only weakening from the final fence.

There is more to come from nap selection Carole’s Destrier, who will significantly be ridden this afternoon by Barry Geraghty.

Mulholland will have Ruby Walsh in the saddle aboard Minella Present in the Les Ambassadeurs Casino Handicap Hurdle.

The five-year-old won his first two starts of the season and was far from disgraced when raised in class to Grade 2 company at Cheltenham in November.

He finished fifth of the six runners, but spoiled his chances by pulling too hard early on in a slowly-run race. He is not to be underestimated on his comeback outing.

Tea For Two will be hard to beat in the opening Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle. Lizzie Kelly’s mount has won two of his three starts this season.

Haydock today: 1.45 Top Notch, 2.20 Seeyouatmidnight, 2.55 Monbeg Dude, 3.25 Run Ructions Run, 4.00 Fletchers Flyer, 4.30 Runswick Royal, 5.05 Teaforthree.

Ascot today: 1.30 Tea For Two, 2.05 Ainsi Fideles, 2.40 Carole’s Destrier (NAP), 3.15 Minella Present, 2.50 Balder Succes, 4.20 Otago Trail, 4.50 Theo’s Charm.

Today’s other meetings: Lingfield and Wincantion.