The real McCoy at 3,000 victories

Even more fitting was that one of his two wins that day came courtesy of Hello Moscow, trained at Lewes by Jim Best and his brother, Tom.

Tony McCoy won the Chris Poole And George Ennor Memorial Handicap Hurdle on Hello Moscow, taking him to the 2,999 mark and paving the way for his 3,000th winner.

The Irish-bred seven-year-old gelding scored his first win in this country after taking the lead a mile from home and maintaining it. He joined the Lewes stables as a former winning Irish point-to-pointer last autumn.

Jim Best reported that the horse 'idles and doesn't do a lot' and said he might have to put some headgear on him at some stage.

Although he is officially the trainer, it is in fact a joint operation with his brother Tom from Grandstand Stables on the old racecourse at Lewes.

Jim had a successful career as an amateur rider, having been based with both Josh Gifford and Richard Rowe, riding for many top trainers on both the Flat and over jumps. He went on to be assistant to Mark Pitman at Lambourn.

Tom started at the age of 12, again locally with Gifford and Rowe. He had more than 100 rides of the flat and won the Amateur Championship Turf and All Weather, represented England in the Amateur Riders Vergenty Series, and moved to Toby Balding's Fyfield yard.

There he switched to national hunt, winning many high-calibre races, including the Cantor Handicap Hurdle at Ascot and the Grade I Sefton Novice Hurdle Race at the Aintree festival.

Aftern two years at Fyfield. Tom started to struggle to maintain his weight so retired from riding to concentrate on gaining as much knowledge about training as possible, spending a year at champion trainer Paul Nicholls' yard. Tom, with his abundance of experience, also does most of the schooling at home.

The brothers started training in 2005 and during the spring of 2006 had six

Stable star Lady Pilot won seven races, both flat and national hunt for them, the following season.

In the current jumps season they have already sent out 14 winners, 11 over hurdles and three chase winners. In 2008 they also had six winners on the flat.

As well as full ownership, there is the opportunity to have shares in horses. They also operate Lewes Racing Club, giving the chance to be involved at an affordable price.

The duo can be contacted on 01273 480249.