TONY McCoy teamed up with Black Jack Ketchum in a gallop after racing at Stratford on Monday.

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained gelding covered a circuit and a half of the course for McCoy as a crowd of around 100 stayed behind to watch with some breaking into applause as McCoy entered the pre-parade ring.

It was the first time the 12-times champion jockey has been seen in racecourse action since sustaining a back injury at Warwick on January 12.

McCoy, who has been riding out regularly for O'Neill and Carl Llewellyn, faces an important date with the doctor this afternoon when he hopes he will be cleared to resume race riding ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.

The rider was upbeat when asked how he felt, adding: "I feel absolutely fine, although some days are better than others.

"This horse seems in good order and the main thing is that I am able to have a ride before the start of the Festival."

O'Neill was pleased to see Black Jack Ketchum get his head in front in the spin and a crack at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle could be on the cards.

The nine-year-old was last seen when pulled up at Cheltenham on New Year's Day but O'Neill rev-ealed a subsequent examination had uncovered a problem.

He said: "Tony was happy with him today and we'll have to see what the ground is like, leaving our decision about the World Hurdle until as late as possible."