Champion jockey Tony McCoy signed off for the Christmas break with a 32 to 1 double on Fern's Governor and Briggs Turn at Ludlow yesterday.

"I'm off to Martin Pipe's Christmas staff party tonight and tomorrow morning I expect I will be called upon to ride out a few horses there," said McCoy.

"But I will probably have a quite, quiet Christmas as I may have to do a low weight at Kempton on Boxing Day where my rides include Dines, Challenger du Luc, Executive King and whatever Mr Pipe runs there," he added.

McCoy then travels over here for rides at Leopardstown on Sunday before returning to Britain for Monday's valuable Welsh National meeting at Chepstow.

"I am likely to partner Eudipe in the Welsh National as I am staying loyal to the horse's owner David Johnson even though Mr Pipe runs the favourite Dom Samourai," declared the jockey.

Fern's Governor, making her jumping debut and having her first run for Martin Pipe turned the Tanners Claret Novice Hurdle into a one horse show, making all to thrash Edan Heights by 16 lengths.

But Briggs Turn needed a slice of luck and all of McCoy's strength in the saddle to get home by half a length from Wayfarers Way for the Tanners Cava Handicap Hurdle.

The Bryn Llewellyn-trained four-year-old appeared to be playing second fiddle to Desert Power at the final hurdle but the leader blundered there, allowing McCoy a second bite of the cherry to power home.

Retired trainer Tim Forster landed his first success in his new role as a permit holder after Starting Again and Joe Tizzard ran on strongly to hold off Bowl Of Gold in the Ludlow Christmas Party NH Flat Race.

Kim Bailey's Supreme Charm, a top-class novice hurdler last term, opened his account over fences in style when cruising away with the Tanners Champagne Novice Chase under Norman Williamson.

The six-year-old had been trounced on his chasing debut six weeks ago but Bailey explained: "He was wrong when he ran in that race and it's taken a long time to get him back." Noisy Miner opens his account over fences in the hands of Richard Johnson when taking the Tanners Wines Handicap Chase at the expense of Perryman, who was nine lengths adrift where it mattered.

Former point-to-pointer Tempestuous Lady followed up a recent Leicester win after making all the running to land the Hoechst Roussel Panacur EBF Mares Novices Hurdle (qualifier) for the Nicky Henderson-Mick Fitzgerald combination.

Local trainer Willie Jenks was all smiles after Jemaro made all in the Tanners Burgundy Handicap Chase.