Never before has a jockey won the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year, but racing is firmly behind Tony McCoy’s bid this time around as the man who has re-written every riding record on the jumping scene heads to Birmingham tomorrow for the most glittering televised sports awards gathering of the year.

A final push for McCoy is plainly evident at tomorrow’s meeting at Kempton, where all six races are named in honour and support of the 15-times champion, the only jockey to have ridden more than 3,000 winners over jumps, and, of course the winner of this year’s Grand National on Don’t Push It.

Each of those achievements are included in the Kempton race-titles as the all-weather meeting prepares to keep the racing show on the road at a time when the wintry weather continues to cause havoc with jumping fixtures.

Newmarket trainer Marco Botti looks set to record a Kempton double, courtesy of Ceremonial Jade (3.15) and Magic Of The Sea (3.45).

The first named is an eight-times winner, whose victories include a Listed race success.

He is, however, not as good as he once was and, unable to clinch a handicap these days off his high-ranking mark of 93, is dropped into claiming company for the first time. He should be capable of capitalising on this steep drop in class.

Botti can also win the nursery with Magic Of The Sea, who ran out a fluent winner of a similar race at Wolverhampton last time out. The juvenile is napped to follow up off an 8lb higher mark.

Mike Murphy and Martin Lane joined forces with a winner at Southwell earlier in the week and the partnership can click again with Adoyen Spice (2.10), previously successful on this course, while the promising Lady Rosamunde (4.15) is fancied to step up on her half-length second on her debut performance on this course in the maiden race.

In the light of so many weather enforced abandonments, Southwell is staging an extra Flat meeting today, which promises plenty for Richard Fahey, who has good prospects of at least two winners.

Little went right for Dark Lane (2.05) at Kempton on his latest start, when he was sent off a hot favourite, but the gelding deserves the chance to gain compensation under Barry McHugh in the sprint handicap.

Fahey and McHugh can also hit the target with Sioux Rising (2.40), who is overdue a winning turn, after finishing runner-up at Lingfield on her last two outings.

Fahey’s recent Wolverhampton winner Dunmore Boy has a solid chance in the opening nursery, but the two-year-old may be outpointed by the David Nicholls-trained Je Suis Unrockstar (12.30), who has won on his last two visits to this venue, his latest victory coming as recently as Thursday.

Lay Claim (1.00) finally came good on this course last Saturday when, sporting a pair of eyeshields for the first time, Alan McCabe’s previously exasperating gelding ran out an easy winner.

It would be no surprise, now that he’s got his head in front, to see him follow up.


Racing Selections

Southwell (Today)
12.30 Je Suis Unrockstar, 1.00 Lay Claim, 1.35 Diggeratt, 2.05 Dark Lane, 2.40 Sioux Rising, 3.15 Cape Of Storms.

Today’s other meetings: Ascot, Haydock and Newcastle.

Kempton (Tomorrow)
2.10 Adoyen Spice, 2.45 Cyril The Squirrel, 3.15 Ceremonial Jade, 3.45 Magic Of The Sea (NAP), 4.15 Lady Rosamunde, 4-45 Even Bolder.

There are no other meetings tomorrow.