TONY McCOY, who has announced that he will ride Carlingford Lough and not Holywell in next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, journeys to Chepstow today with good prospects of maintaining his impressive winning sequence.

The 19-time champion jockey, who is retiring at the end of the season, has scarcely had a winner-less day since he declared that he was hanging up his boots.

Doncaster racegoers gave him a tremendous reception on Wednesday when he rode two winners and produced a masterful display to score on Milan Bound, who was only sixth at the penultimate hurdle, but who responded bravely to McCoy’s never-say-die drive.

This afternoon, he has every chance of adding to his tally aboard Wait A Second, who runs in the opening Kandy Toys Novices’ Hurdle.

Owned by JP McManus, also the owner of Carlingford Lough, recent winner of the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup, Wait A Second made a promising hurdles debut at Chepstow three weeks ago when finishing a respectable runner-up in a fair race.

There is surely more to come from this twice-raced five-year-old, who may find opportunity knocking today.

McCoy will be aboard Master Malt in the Coming Down The Pub My Son Handicap Hurdle and, although the Jonjo O’Neill-trained gelding merits respect, preference is for Dawson City, who has been in fine form.

Andrew Thornton’s mount has won his last two races and, despite having edged up the weights, has every chance of completing a hat-trick.

Mark Walford, son of former Sheriff Hutton trainer Tim, is making a good fist of training and he has double prospects with nap selection Rosa Imperialis and Castarnie, both winners last time out.

Rosa Imperialis goes for the West Wing Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

She has been raised 10lb for her latest fluent success at Fontwell, but she has raced only four times over hurdles and is open to further improvement.

Castarnie has also been hiked up the weights since his Taunton success, but he figures at the foot of the weights in the Good Night Bud Handicap Chase and is fancied to go well.

On the Flat at Wolverhampton’s twilight meeting, Irish raider Ability N Delivery makes plenty of appeal in the first division of the Unibet Handicap.

Michael Brown’s sprinter may be approaching the veteran stage, but he has been running well lately, finishing second on this course and also at Dundalk on his latest outing.

He is entitled to go well with North Yorkshire apprentice jockey Shane Gray in the saddle.

Malton jockey Patrick Mathers can win the second leg aboard Argent Touch, who looks capable of defying joint top-weight.

The four-year-old was beaten by less than two lengths into fourth behind Profile Star on this course a fortnight ago.

He might not have to improve much on that effort to come out on top this time.

Luke Morris, who has a tremendous record at this track, has a couple of bright winning chances.

The jockey teams up with Wedgewood Estates (7.45), beaten only a half-a-length by Swendab at Kempton last time, and Sbraase (8.15), a short-head second to Off The Pulse here 11 days ago.

Exeter today: 2.20 Wait A Second, 2.50 Rosa Imperialis (NAP), 3.20 Hannah’s Princess, 3.50 One Cool Boy, 4.20 Dawson City, 4.50 Minellahalfcentury, 5.20 Castarnie.

Wolverhampton today: 5.45 Steel City Boy, 6.15 Santayana, 6.45 Ability N Delivery, 7.15 Argent Touch, 7.45 Wedgewood Estates, 8.15 Sbraase, 8.45 Bittern.

Today’s other meetings: Lingfield and Warwick.