Bamapour, the horse responsible for Tony McCoy's recent 14day whip ban, repaid the jockey with victory in the Stogumber Handicap Hurdle at Taunton yesterday.

The win on the 10 to 1 shot brought a smile back to the champion jockey's features as the eight-year-old battled on strongly after leading three out to get the better of Papua by a couple of lengths with McCoy only resorting to his stick a handful of times.

"He felt a bit sweeter and fresher today as the trainer's a superb genius but I rode him exactly the same way as I ride any other horse and that's to win as that's my job," said McCoy

"And if Mr Pipe keeps on improving him in this way he'll end up being favourite for the Champion Hurdle," he added with his tongue firmly in cheek.

As far as the Fontwell ban is concerned McCoy now wishes to erase the incident from his mind and get on with what he does best and that is riding winners.

He said: "I don't want to look back. As far as I'm concerned Fontwell is over. I'm not going to change the way I ride as I'm out there to win and that's it but I'll have to do that within the rules.

"As I've said the horse ran sweeter today but I kicked on him a fair way out as I did at Fontwell, the only difference being he kept running for me today."

Venetia Williams breathed a huge sigh of relief when Fourth In Line turned the Tote Novice Handicap Chase into a one-horse show under Norman Williamson.

"We've had more beaten favourites than anything else since Teeton Mill won the Hennessy Gold Cup and I was getting a bit worried," said Miss Williams.