Chepstow could be the scene of yet another landmark in racing history today. Richard Dunwoody heads to the South Wales track needing just one winner to reach 100 for the season.
Victory would beat the record of eight career centuries set by Peter Scudamore. Dunwoody's sole ride is on recent Ascot second Tibetan, who bids to go one place better under top-weight in the Worthington Draught Bitter Handicap Hurdle.
Last year the Irishman broke Scudamore's record for successive centuries by a jump jockey, set up in the seven seasons from 19861997 until his retirement in 19921993.
Dunwoody first reached three figures in 1989-1990 and has repeated the feat every season since.
Dunwoody has good memories of Chepstow, having won the Welsh National there on Riverside Boy in 1993 and having also landed a five-timer from six mounts there the previous year.
The same course has many entries in the record books and was the venue for Sir Gordon Richards' completing his run of 12 successive winners in 1933.
More recently Frankie Dettori became the first teenager since Lester Piggott to reach 100 winners in a season with a victory there in 1990.
And two years later a winner at Chepstow made Pat Eddery the first Flat jockey in 38 years to reach 200 in a season.
He may only have two rides at but Tony McCoy can notch a double all the same, courtesy of Cool Gunner in the Reynard Novices' Chase and Iranos in the closing Sapling Novices' Hurdle.
Despite denials from the man himself, as well as those from trainer Martin Pipe and agent Dave Roberts, Tony McCoy remains a man with a mission.
Having broken record after record of late, McCoy now has his sights set on a quite remarkable feat, that of reaching the 300 winner-mark by the end of this season.
William Hill, who had been offering 10 to 1 about such an achievement, closed their books after seeing sustained support some three weeks ago and might even start to get worried soon.
The genial Irishman, back from an unfortunate suspension which saw him sit last week out, can open his brace aboard Cool Gunner.
The eight-year-old was a fair hurdler and although not the biggest of horses, has the breeding of a jumper, being out of Gunner-B by a Menelek mare.
A couple of fencing errors last time out when behind Dontleavethenest at Sandown saw him finish only fourth.
But a previous success at Wincanton over Zabadi and Morstock prior (with McCoy in the plate) marked him out as a horse worth following.
Over these less-exacting obstacles, Cool Gunner can return to winning ways.
Soft-ground specialist Iranos has been in excellent form in recent months and his latest performance when six lengths second to Edmond at Newbury was arguably his best effort yet.
Improved for the application of blinkers, Iranos can defy his double-penalty against mostly modest-looking opposition. Magic Mill was most impressive when romping home at Newcastle last week by 10 lengths from Over To You in what had previously looked like being a hot contest and can score again in the 49's Handicap on the Flat at Pontefract.
Jamaican Flight should appreciate the step up two miles and a furlong in the Levy Board Handicap, and Henry The Hawk looks a lively outsider in round one of the Pontefract Apprentice Series Handicap.
