Reports this morning indicate that Barry Geraghty will replace AP McCoy as retained rider to JP McManus.

The 20-times champion McCoy retired on the last day of the season leaving a vacancy in the famous green and gold.

McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry, today confirmed that Geraghty will in fact replace McCoy, although the deal is not 100 per cent agreed.

He told the Daily Mail: "Hopefully it will happen. It is just not finalised but it will be. There might be something during the week about it."

Geraghty is currently attached to Nicky Henderson’s yard but has ridden a number of winners for McManus, including the 2014 Champion Hurdle on Jezki.

"Nico de Boinville has established himself as a strong player in the pecking order and with Richard Johnson, Sam Twiston-Davies and Tom Scudamore all content in their present positions, he appears to be in pole position to land the job" said Betfair spokesperson Barry Orr as to who might replace Geraghty at Seven Barrows.