Daryl Jacob is excited about the chance of Caribean Boy in Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup, while he reflects on some recent winners including Sceau Royal.
Caribean is hot ahead of the Paddy Power
I can’t wait to ride CARIBEAN BOY in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday. He’s my only ride of the day but you don’t mind so much when the ride is this good.
He’s been going very well at home, his schooling has been excellent and his work has been very good. I’m convinced he’s got a big race in him and I’d love it to be this Saturday.
We’re going to ride him a little bit differently this weekend, we’re going to try and give him some space over his fences. At the Cheltenham Festival I had him in the box seat and he missed the break because of the tapes, so his race was over at the start.
He couldn’t get into things after that start, but he ran a lovely race considering things went against him early on and we’ve learnt from that experience.
The Old Course at Cheltenham should suit him better and the conditions are all in his favour – he’s fine on good to soft ground and he’s a horse that goes very well fresh, too.
We’re excited about him and looking forward to him.
Virgo a Great ride for Byrnes
On the Sunday I ride ADVANCED VIRGO for Charles Byrnes in the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and it’s a great spare ride to pick up.
I’ve never ridden him before but I’m told he’s in good form and he’s only 3lb higher than his Irish mark which should make him competitive.
There’s been a bit of money for him and he ran a good race in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Listowel back in September, where the first-time visor seemed to have an effect.
He was leading turning in and if he’s come on from that – and he’s had a really good run on the Flat in a Premier Handicap since then, too – then he might just have a chance.
Sceau good and Fighting for more
How good was SCEAU ROYAL in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last weekend? From my vantage point on top of him he was electric, absolutely superb.
He’s a hero to us, he really is. Every year he comes out and runs to his mark – and great credit must go to Alan King and his team at Barbury Castle for that, they do a wonderful job with him.
It was a very good performance on Saturday, we’re very proud of him. For me, Simon Munir, Isaac Souede, Anthony Bromley and Alan himself, we all love him to bits.
To have the will to battle and the freshness that he has, when he’s nine turning 10, is incredible really. He feels as good as he’s ever felt, if not better.
You could’ve run him over fences on the Sunday, it would make no difference to him at all. He’s so versatile and it’s very rare to find one this good over both fences and hurdles, he’s not more dominant in one sphere than the other.
Depending on the ground, if it’s good, he could go up to Newcastle for the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle on Saturday November 27 next.
Road a nice chaser for the future
I went to Huntingdon on Tuesday to ride ONEMOREFORTHEROAD for Neil King and what a lovely horse he is.
We won the Michaelmas Handicap Hurdle in great style and he’s now won four of his five handicap hurdles this year which is a great run.
He jumped beautifully and I reckon he’ll be a good chaser in time. Neil’s done a fantastic job with him and he can win more races yet, especially when he tackles a fence.
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