McCoull has been at the top of his profession for 20 years and has 14 premiership trophies on his mantlepiece.

But, when he was slow to hit winning form after a recent injury-enforced layoff, the knockers were quick to pounce.

“I know people were saying that I wasn’t riding well but I just wasn’t getting on horses with winning chances,” McCoull said.

After missing all December and January, McCoull returned to the saddle at the Tasmanian Derby meeting on February 3.

However he had only eight rides for the month and didn’t land a winner.

He broke the drought on Stella Etoile in Hobart on March 4 but had to wait another three weeks before scoring on the same mare at Mowbray last Wednesday.

Stella Etoile, a noted backmarker, had drawn barrier 11 on a track that was clearly favouring horses racing on the pace and on the fence.

Before the race, McCoull asked trainer Bill Ryan if he had any suggestions on how he could overcome the bad barrier and track bias.

“You’re the best jockey and you’re on the best horse, you work it out,” Ryan replied.

McCoull did and produced a brilliant ride, crossing to the rail shortly after the start and taking inside runs before squeezing through a narrow gap in the last 50 metres.

To some, it signalled that McCoull was back but the jockey put it down to the quality of his mount.

“It’s just nice to be riding horses with the ability to do that,” he said after the race. “I haven’t been on many lately.”

As if to ram home the message, McCoull rode another three winners on the seven-race card at Elwick on Sunday.

Knee surgery and a broken finger may have put him on the canvas for much of the past nine months but he hasn’t been counted out just yet.

STEWARD Cameron Day has accepted a position in Victoria, leaving another hole in the office of racing integrity.

Day was regarded by many as the rising star among Tasmania’s steward ranks and was acting chairman at both the Hobart and Launceston Cup meetings while Anthony O’Connell was on sick leave.

He has been quick to point out that his departure has nothing to do with recent dramas within the integrity office, including last week’s revelation that O’Connell had been stood down pending a code of conduct investigation.

“This has nothing to do with Anthony or anything else happening at ORI,” Day said.

“I actually received the job three weeks ago and it is simply a career step up the ladder.”

Former WA chief steward John Zucal has been on the panel at recent meetings.