McCoy's new Alliance
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Thursday July 30 2009
TONY McCoy was last night handed a plum ride for this afternoon's Arthur Guinness Galway Hurdle after being booked by Tony Martin to ride the well-fancied Northern Alliance in the €250,000 feature.
Martin booked McCoy -- who didn't ride any of JP McManus' horses in yesterday's William Hill Galway Plate -- for the eight-year-old which is rated a 9/1 shot by the bookies.
Northern Alliance had been due to line up in the Plate but Martin withdrew the horse early yesterday.
Martin's charge ran third in the Galway Hurdle a year ago, when ridden by Ruby Walsh, and his new partner has not ridden for Martin in Ireland in any of the past five seasons.
Joanna Morgan's Raise Your Heart has been left at the head of the weights following the withdrawal of the Paul Nicholls-trained Sporazene.
Paul Nolan's Cuan Na Grai, a former winner of the race, is joined in the line-up by stablemate See U Bob.
Vital Plot, trained by Ballybrit King Dermot Weld, also has major claims. Last year's winner Indian Pace will have Paul Townend aboard, while Noel Meade runs Fisher Bridge and Silverhand.
