Weight-watching Tony McCoy has been given an added incentive to win tomorrow's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot - the chance of a slap-up meal.
After starving for several days to make 10st on the favourite Nordance Prince, the champion jockey has been offered a suitable reward.
The racecourse will serve him a cordon bleu meal, courtesy of the sponsors, should he emerge victorious in the £50,000 handicap.
"Ours is a very valuable race so Tony will do nicely from his percentage if he wins, but we thought the promise of an extra special meal might appeal even more than the money," said Victor Chandler.
"Ascot leads the way in racecourse catering, so he couldn't have picked a better course to ride at in a state of starvation."
Nick Cheyne, the clerk of the course, said: "I'm told our chef's putting his life savings on Nordance Prince.
"He's utterly convinced that when Tony turns into the straight and thinks of the fantastic meal which awaits him if he wins, he'll find the strength to pick the horse up and carry him over the line in front."
