It's been a good week for our columnist Daryl Jacob and he's aiming to top it by winning the Betfair Chase on Bristol De Mai for a fourth time.
Bristol goes for fourth Betfair
Betfair Chase – 3.00 Haydock Saturday
BRISTOL DE MAI is in really good form ahead of his mission for a remarkable fourth win in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.
Nigel Twiston-Davies is really happy with him at home. He’s a year older now and Good to Soft is hardly in his favour, but we’re not running scared because of the ground.
He goes on it, he’s just better on heavy than most horses, but what an incredible achievement it would be if he can win four Betfairs.
We’re under no illusions, this is the toughest test he’s ever had in the race. There are seven opponents and A Plus Tard could be a formidable one – he’s a dual Grade One winner, a Cheltenham Festival winner and he’s probably at his best on Good to Soft ground.
Everything seems to be in his favour, so it would be a monumental achievement to win this against younger horses on ground that we know isn’t ideal.
He was three years younger when he won this race against Native River on Good ground. As they get older you need more things in their favour.
Personally, I wouldn’t describe the forecast conditions as a negative for him – they just won’t be the positive they could have been had we had a wetter autumn.
But he comes in here fit and firing, like his old self. I looked after him in the Grand National, he was losing over a length at every fence and he didn’t enjoy it.
We know he absolutely loves Haydock. Hopefully he can give me another unbelievable day in the saddle.
If The Cap Fits tackles first handicap
Betfair Exchange Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle – 2.25 Haydock, Saturday
IF THE CAP FITS ran a nice race at Aintree when he was second on his seasonal reappearance and we hope he’s come on from that.
It was a nice pipe opener for him, he will have needed it, and it will be interesting how he gets on here as it’s his first ever go in a handicap.
Harry Fry has put the cheekpieces back on him and it’s a big field, so we’ll see how he handles things.
He’s a graded horse running in a handicap, so the hope is his class shines through. He jumps well and travels well, and looking at his previous runs you’d think this type of race might suit him.
Jetoile one to watch at Chepstow
Angela Nettlefold Memorial Race Maiden Hurdle – 2.20 Chepstow, Friday
I go to Chepstow on Friday to ride a nice horse in JETOILE who ran well above market expectations when he was a close-up third at 80/1 in a maiden hurdle at Cheltenham last month.
I was very happy with him that day, it was a nice performance and it’s safe to say he won’t be those sort of odds in south Wales.
He steps up in trip and that will definitely help him, so hopefully he can get off the mark. Whatever he does over hurdles will be a bonus, I see him as a lovely chaser in the future.
Cheltenham reflections
I had two big rides in the feature handicaps at Cheltenham last weekend but had no joy.
CARIBEAN BOY was really disappointing in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, he never found his rhythm and I think we’ll try and find him some smaller-field races for him.
I think a bit of headgear might help, too. He’s got the ability but he needs to start showing us it now.
ADVANCED VIRGO travelled into the race nicely in the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle and was going well two out, but he just galloped at the one speed all the way to the line, he didn’t quicken.
It was an evenly-run race and he just wasn’t good enough.
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This Week's Winners
CARNFUNNOCK - He’s a nice type of horse and I think he’s got a big future. I think we’ll stick to the bumper route this year, he’s only a four-year-old, but I’d say he be a nice horse going forward. He’ll get bigger and stronger and he was very impressive up at Ayr.
SHANROE AL C - Carnfunnock was completing a double at Ayr for me as I’d previously won on Shanroe Al C. It was great to ride a winner for Karl Thornton, he’s a good friend of mine, I usually go to his place for three or four days in the summer, so that was a great feeling.
TRANSFER FRIENDLY - It was good to get a winner for Harry Whittington with Transfer Friendly at Ffos Las on Wednesday. He was a cheap buy at the sales, he ran well first time out over two miles and stepped up to two and a half he proved a real grinder, putting his head down and galloping. He’ll pay his way and will be good fun for all of his connections.