Denman unseats Tony McCoy to leave Newbury prize to Ruby Walsh

Tony McCoy's new association with Denman came to a premature end as the pair parted company at the third-last fence in the Aon Chase at Newbury. After putting in a practically perfect round to five out under his intended Cheltenham Gold Cup rider McCoy, Paul Nicholls' runner clattered the fourth-last and was lucky not to unship McCoy. However, he met the next fence all wrong again and McCoy could not hold on this time and tumbled out of the plate. That allowed stablemate Tricky Trickster to just edge out Niche Market in a thrilling finish. The winner, a stablemate of Denman's, was ridden by Ruby Walsh. Nicholls reported Denman to be none the worse for his spill straight after the race. "It's a job to see [what happened] from here," he said. "The main thing is that he's 100% OK. He's not in distress and there's not a mark on him. He just made a mistake and then another - but we'll get him back, we've been there before." Walsh admitted to Channel 4: "I'm a bit shocked really," he said. "I didn't think AP McCoy looked overly happy with him throughout." McCoy, having fallen from 1-6 shot Denman, gained some compensation when riding the 6-1 against winner of the valuable Totesport Trophy, Get Me Out Of Here, putting in a typical power-packed finish to overhaul Ronaldo Des Mottes. McCoy 'still looking foward to Gold Cup' 3.55pm Greg Wood writes: Tony McCoy was in philosophical mood about Denman's departure three out when he spoke after winning the Totesport Trophy on Get Me Out Of Here. "He's well-named after my last ride but I've been in racing long enough to know that you have highs and lows," he said. "You've got to look forward after something like that." "I was a little bit disappointed at the cross fence when I went to give him a squeeze and had a look behind and I thought Niche Market would have been a lot further back than he was. "I'm not saying he would have been beaten because there's no doubt he's a good horse, and he can be a bit lazy. Who knows, if I'd given him a smack he'd probably have flown up the straight. "But I just thought I'd have had Niche Market in a little more trouble than I had. I felt felt that he was never really picking up and getting a bit tight, and then the fence that he unseated me he landed in the middle of the ditch, basically. "It's very disappointing, more so for the owners and the trainer, but I'm still looking forward to the Gold Cup." Master Minded shortens for Champion Chase 4pm Greg Wood writes: Two brilliant jumps at the third-last and second-last, then an awful mistake at the last as Master Minded warmed up for the Champion Chase. It was one of the recoveries of the season by Ruby Walsh to stay in the saddle, not least because he can't have been expecting it after a flawless display to that point. Master Minded is now odds-on across the board at a general 4-6, having been available at 6-4 this morning.