Tony McCoy can reflect with satisfaction on his 37th birthday today, having partnered Street Entertainer to a fitting first Irish winner for trainer David Pipe.

After the win Pipe, whose father Martin Pipe helped catapult the now 15 times British Champion Jockey to stardom in the 1990s, said “that is my first winner in Ireland from about only five or six runners.”

“They have looked after us so well here and the racecourse have done a fantastic job watering –infact the ground was possibly even a little too slow for Street Entertainer.”

“We bought Street Entertainer at the Horses-In-Training Sale for £12,000 and while he didn’t beat much last time out at Chepstow, he beat a better field today. He’ll be kept on the go for now and he may try the Flat too.”

McCoy, who partnered his first winner in 1992 aged 17, afforded a wry smile when greeted back to the winner’s enclosure by his adoring supporters who sang ‘Happy Birthday’ .

Thomas Weekes