WITH all the certainty of Auld Lang Syne being sung to welcome in the New Year, champion jockey Tony McCoy continued his dominance at Hereford racecourse with a double on the New Year Bank Holiday meeting.

McCoy took the opening race on the card, the first division of the two-mileone- furlong Maiden hurdle, aboard the Nicky H e n d e r s o n - t r a i n e d Whoops a Daisy who swept into the lead approaching the secondlast hurdle and stayed on well to record a fivelength win over runnerup Charminster.

The double was completed later in the day aboard the Jonjo O’Neilltrained Salpierre in the two-mile-six-furlong handicap hurdle where McCoy supporters had taken the hint backing his mount into a strongly supported 5/2 favourite.

Despite not looking totally at ease on the tacky ground, with McCoy taking his mount wide looking for the better ground, Salpierre who was aiming for a hat-trick of wins went clear of his field on the run approaching the final hurdle and kept on well to win by three lengths from Victory Serenade.

Salpierre’s winning owner, a delighted Frank Gillespie, confirmed: “It’s not easy to win three handicaps but the horse keeps gaining in confidence.”

Spanish treasure had been bought for £105,000 after winning a Punchestown bumper last year and the confidence behind the Andy Turnell-trained five-yearold was seen as he was backed in from 5/1 to 7/2 joint favourite.

Jockey Nick Schofield was always confident during the race and brought his mount to challenge on the final bend before sweeping into a decisive two-anda- half length lead over eventual runner-up Kells Belle, with Solium a further two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third place.

Both the winner and the two placed horses look decent prospects for the future and it would be no surprise to see all three supplementing their earnings again later in the season.

Kings Caple trainer Venetia Williams’s horses are gradually returning to form and the yard had a welcome winner in the concluding Bumper race when her Hayjack scored by three-and-a-quarter lengths.

Partnered by Sam Thomas, Hayjack was always prominent and kept on well over the final two furlongs to deny the tenderly handled Dinuer and the favourite Theatrical Star.