Racing News: Tony McCoy reached the 200-winner mark in a season for the fifth time at Plumpton yesterday.

The champion jockey did not have to be at his strongest to reach the milestone when enjoying a comfortable success on the Martin Pipe-trained Tucacas in the Sharp Minds Betfair: Best Odds Novices' Chase.

McCoy sent the grey mare to the front with a circuit left to travel and they were never in danger thereafter, the 2 to 5 favourite coming home to score hard held by nine lengths from L'Etang Bleu.

He had moved on to 199 with a treble at Newton Abbot on Saturday.

McCoy has reached 200 in the past in 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2001-2 and last season.

His oft-expressed aim is to make it to 300 one season, having ridden 289 winners in 2001-2, and he insisted yesterday that "300 is not impossible".

His chance disappeared this campaign when he missed two months with a broken arm sustained at Worcester last June, and he then suffered facial injuries at yesterday's venue in February which ruled him out for another eight days.

The eight-times champion, with his ninth title already in the bag, said: "It hasn't been easy this time, with about three and a half months off through injury and two bans.

"The arm and cheek injuries set me back a bit and it has been harder. But the will for winners is always there for me."

McCoy was presented with a pair of crystal candlesticks to mark the feat by the owner of Plumpton and chairman of the British Horseracing Board, Peter Savill.