Tony McCoy showed that even the champion jockey can be made to look foolish as Whitford Don went from favourite to flop in a matter of strides at Plumpton yesterday.

With principal employer Jonjo O'Neill without a runner in Britain since Boxing Day, rides have been much thinner on the ground of late for McCoy.

However, he must have fancied his chances of getting at least one winner when he arrived at the track booked to ride two favourites.

But after Absolut Power failed to shine in the first, things went pear-shaped with Whitford Don in the Plumpton Racecourse Novices Chase.

Having travelled strongly for the first mile and a half, McCoy went to shake the reins and ask the Paul Nicholls-trained 6-5 favourite to take closer order with a circuit to go.

But no sooner had he produced the whip than the moody grey - running in the Azertyuiop colours - dropped the bridle and ground to a sudden standstill, ending up on the hurdles track on the outside of the course.

Having already snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on a previous outing this season, Whitford Don's connections will be tearing their hair out.

There will be no such gnashing of the teeth from Tom George after Calvic (10-3) took advantage to win his third novice chase of the campaign.

Jumping better towards the finish than he had at the start of the contest, Calvic joined Sonnant at the second-last fence and stayed on under pressure to win by five lengths.

''It's horrible sticky ground out there and as he has been on the go for quite a while now. We'll probably call it a day and rough him off for the year,'' said George.