TONY McCoy's 11th consecutive jump jockeys' title was overshadowed by the shock retirement of his old ally Martin Pipe.

The 31-year-old record-breaking jockey, who lives at Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, set the seal on another championship with victory on Hasty Prince in the Betfred Million Handicap Hurdle as the curtain came down on the season at Sandown on Saturday.

It was his 178th winner of the campaign, leaving him 11 ahead of runner-up Richard Johnson.

But McCoy's achievement took a back seat in the wake of the announcement by 15-times champion trainer Pipe that he was handing over the reins at his Somerset stables to his son David.

McCoy said: "I would like to thank him. I was very lucky and very privileged to ride for him and to learn so much from working with him.

"Racing will be much worse off without him, but hopefully we will see him around."

Reflecting on his latest title triumph, he added: "I have had a great season. Luckily for me, Jonjo O'Neill has given me a lot of winners and JP McManus has been very supportive."

While Pipe was bowing out of the training ranks, Faringdon handler Sean Curran made a dream start to his new career when Explosive Fox gave him a winner with his first runner.

Curran, who still holds a jump jockey's licence, was thrilled to see Alan Daly power the five-year-old grey home by a length and a half from York Cliff in a mile and a half handicap at the Midlands track.

The 16-1 shot came as something of a surprise to Curran., who admitted: "I thought he might be placed at best."

Looking ahead to this weekend, West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon believes Flashy Wings has a 'major chance' of giving him his first British Classic winner when she tackles the Stan James 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.

The daughter of Zafonic, who will be ridden by champion jockey Jamie Spencer, is the 5-1 second favourite after taking everything in her stride in the build-up to the big race.

Channon's confidence has also been boosted by his string's sparkling form, with Upper Hand scoring at Windsor on Bank Holiday Monday, and Spring Dream triumphing at Warwick.

It came after the West Ilsley handler sent out four winners on Saturday, with doubles at Ripon and Haydock courtesy of Obe Brave and Zabeel Tower, and Active Asset and Kassiopeia respectively.

Fulke Johnson Houghton, who trains at Blewbury, near Didcot, was also among the winners at Windsor when Judd Street collected a six-furlong handicap under Dane O'Neill.

It came after Phluke had given Johnson Houghton his first winner of the year when springing a 22-1 shock at Southwell.

Another Blewbury trainer, Gerard Butler, came up trumps with Derby entrant Oscillator, who opened his account in an extended nine-furlong maiden at Wolver- hampton.

Steppe Dancer also holds an engagement in the Epsom Classic, but West Ilsley trainer Dennis Coakley all but ruled out the colt after he got off the mark in good style at Kempton.

Paul Cole's Whatcombe stables, near Wantage, have also been churning out the winners with Namid Reprobate and Fantaisiste scoring at separate Kempton meetings, and Figaro's Quest going in at Brighton.

Back over the sticks, Henrietta Knight's West Lockinge yard, near Wantage, finished the season with a flourish with her last three runners of the campaign all winning.

General Grey and Smart Mover gave Knight and jockey Sam Thomas a Fontwell double, before Harris Bay bounced back to winning ways in the hands of Faringdon-based jockey Timmy Murphy at Sandown.

Full House was also on the mark at the Esher course, coasting to an easy victory for Paul Webber's Cropredy stables, near Banbury.

And Lysander, from Milton Harris's Edgcote yard, near Banbury was involved in a dead-heat with Smokey Mountain in a Chepstow maiden hurdle.