AP McCoy: the competition in Ireland is better and that's why they're dominating

After yet another dominant display by Ireland's novice hurdlers, 20-time champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy has put their superiority over their British counterparts down to stronger competition.

The best-placed British horse in the Ballymore, Marble Sands, finished fifth, almost 21 lengths behind Impaire Et Passe. Ireland saddled the first eight in Tuesday's Supreme and the first four in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Nicky Henderson's Jonbon, second in the Arkle, and Mister Coffey, third in the National Hunt Chase, were the only British novices to place on Tuesday, in chases.

"I think it's competition," said McCoy on ITV Racing. "I went to Jim Bolger's as an apprentice and you'd Christy Roche, Kevin Manning, Willie Supple, Ted Durcan, Seamie Heffernan and Paul Carberry there.

"I hated it at the time but they definitely made me better. I think the competition in Ireland is stronger, it's more competitive and it's not as diluted, and that's why they're dominating."

He added: "Competition makes you better. It makes you raise to a different level."

Impaire Et Passe leads home Gaelic Warrior and Champ Kiely in a Willie Mullins 1-2-3 in the BallymoreCredit: Alan Crowhurst

His fellow presenter Luke Harvey also pointed to the wealthy owners Willie Mullins has amassed: "It all starts in the sales ring, they've got the big owners who can buy the quality horses," he said. "However good a rider or jockey you are you can't do it without the horses."

McCoy had earlier made the point a lot of Mullins' big owners were based in Britain. "You look at a lot of these horses, Impaire Et Passe is owned by Simon Munir and Issac Souede, they're English by right. A lot of Willie's owners are based in England."

Ireland have the first seven for the Champion Bumper, the first three for the Turners, the first four for the Triumph Hurdle and the first nine in the betting for the Albert Bartlett. Britain do, however, have two of the first three in the betting for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

Read these next:

'That was easy, to be honest,' - electric Energumene retains his Champion Chase crown in style 

'He blew me away' - Mullins mightily impressed with Impaire Et Passe as trainer completes 1-2-3 in Ballymore 

Marine Nationale downs Facile Vega in style with the first eight home all Irish 

It's festival time – get 50% off for three months! Now is the perfect time to subscribe and lock in 50% off your first three months, so you can take advantage of all the great content we've got coming up. To redeem this offer, head to the checkout and enter the code FESTIVAL23 at the payment screen to unlock your discount*. Subscribe now. Available to new subscribers purchasing Members' Club Ultimate Monthly using code FESTIVAL23. First three payments will be charged at £19.98, subscription renews at full monthly price thereafter. Customers wishing to cancel will need to contact us at least seven days before their subscription is due to renew.