Legendary jockey Tony McCoy secured his 3,000th British and Irish National Hunt victory at Plumpton on Monday.

The 13-times champion reached the milestone aboard Nicky Henderson's Restless D'Artaix in the Tyser & Co Beginners' Chase.

Given a typically assured ride from McCoy, the 13-8 favourite brought the house down at the East Sussex venue with a gritty one-length defeat of The Package.

McCoy, 34, had been stranded on 2,998 triumphs since January 29 when he won on Stradbrook at Wincanton.

After a success earlier in the day on Hello Moscow, McCoy and Miss Sarenne agonisingly crashed out at the last when well in control of the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2009 Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

All was forgiven 35 minutes later, however, when Henderson's seven-year-old showed great resolve to score by a length.

McCoy, who used to live at Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, said: "It's not something I'm going to play down – I am ecstatic. All 3,000 winners have taken a lot of hard work.

"It's very easy to be driven when you are lucky enough to do a job you love.

"I am lucky to have been supported by a number of great people over the years.

"It's great, I've been very lucky with my agent (Dave Roberts). A lot of thanks must go to Dave Roberts.

"He's helped me since I started and, without him, this wouldn't be possible."

McCoy became the all-time winning-most jumps jockey in Britain, beating Richard Dunwoody's record of 1,699, when scoring on Mighty Montefalco at Uttoxeter on August 27, 2002.

He also eclipsed Sir Gordon Richards's record of 269 winners in a season on Valfonic at Warwick on April 2, 2002.

Born in County Antrim, McCoy bagged his first winner, Legal Steps, on the Flat at Thurles in March 1992.

His first jumps winner came aboard Riszard – he was also his first National Hunt ride – at Gowran in April 2004.

He added: "Obviously it dragged on a little bit, but I could do nothing about the weather.

"Then I went and had the slight mishap on Miss Sarenne, but I'm delighted to get to 3,000 winners.

"I feel very privileged and I've been very lucky to ride for the people that I have during my career, I'm very lucky.

"I've had a lot of falls and a lot of injuries – and a lot of good luck and a lot of bad luck. But you have to love doing what you are doing to be that successful."