CHAMPION jockey Tony McCoy shone to get favourite backers off to a winning start with the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Goodwood Mirage at Kempton.

The Green Ogre, a 33-1 outsider, landed over the final flight with a handy advantage as Goodwood Mirage, the 6-4 market leader, bundled through the last two obstacles.

But the four-year-old demonstrated his flat speed under a powerful drive from McCoy to snatch a shorthead verdict on Saturday.

The autumn purchase for the O’Neill stable in Temple Guiting was trimmed to 25-1 from 33-1 with BetVictor for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.

Meanwhile, Millicent Silver (11-2) scored for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and his jockey son Sam in the Betfred TV ‘Newcomers’ Standard Open NH Flat Race at Warwick.

Stow-on-the-Wold’s David Bridgwater enjoyed success at Plumpton through No Buts (11-4 second-favourite).