McCoy wary of French challenger

Tony McCoy believes French challenger First Gold is the one to fear in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on St Stephen…

Tony McCoy believes French challenger First Gold is the one to fear in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on St Stephen's Day.

The champion jockey rides Lady Cricket for Martin Pipe in the three-mile contest but he believes Francois Doumen's seven-year-old could be the dark horse in the line-up.

"See More Business deserves to be favourite because he has the best form in the race but one we don't know much about is the French horse First Gold. He would be the one I would be worried about the most," McCoy told the Racing Channel.

Thomas Pink Gold Cup winner Lady Cricket was slightly disappointing over three and a quarter miles when fourth behind King's Road in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury last month.

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However, McCoy did not blame lack of stamina for the mare's defeat.

He said: "I don't think the trip was such a problem as we thought beforehand - she's just moody.

"She didn't travel so well in the Hennessy and she was beaten a long way out yet she seemed to stay on going down to the finish.

"When she's good she's very good and I think if we got her in the right frame of mind it would be more important."

Lady Cricket is priced at around 12 to 1 for the St Stephen's Day feature and McCoy added: "She's got a chance. On her best form she's got a lot to find with the likes of See More Business but it's not beyond her."