Daryl Jacob column: Lucky escape at Lingfield

My commiserations go out to Ben Pauling, his team and the connections of Eau Top who lost his life when he fell with me at Lingfield on Tuesday.

The race was going OK. I just got outpaced four-and-a-half furlongs out but the horse really found his stride from the two pole and was running on strongly to the line. Then about three strides from the finish he tragically broke his leg. He went down onto the floor and me with him.

It was a high-speed fall at the end of a jumper bumper and an awful experience. I’m still a bit battered and bruised but the gods were looking down on me. I know how lucky I am to have escaped very serious injuries in the incident.

When he was going down I knew what was happening, instead of fighting it I rode the wave if you like, and waited until I was as low to the ground as I could before ejecting from the saddle. From then it was a case of hoping and praying nothing came from behind or fell on top of me.

We’re very lucky that Dr Jerry Hill, our doctor, is very aware of the safety requirements. We have new back protectors that are made to a very high standard and are very good and the new helmets too. A lot of us wear gum shields as well and I’m sure that helped save me. I’m glad the equipment we have is reviewed frequently – and I’m very pleased it’s of such a high standard.

I have a few interesting rides this weekend.

3.00 Ascot Saturday - L’Ami Serge

It’s great to see him back. With the weather heading Ascot’s way Friday night into Saturday the ground is going to get very heavy which makes it hard work.

He always needs his first run but has run well in big races at Ascot before. This is a good opportunity to get him out and a race under his belt before touch wood we can look ahead to some nice spring targets.

3.35 Ascot Saturday - Master Tommytucker

Paul rang me to see if I wanted the ride on Master Tommytucker in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase and I jumped at the chance, I’m schooling him on Friday morning at Ditcheat.

I've not ridden him before but we've all seen the progress he's made this season and he deserves a crack at a prize like this, although it will obviously be tough against his stablemate, Cyrname.

If that horse is at his best we have to find another level, but Master Tommytucker has put in some very good performances this season over this sort of trip in small fields and he's bang in-form, so has a lot going for him on Saturday.

I rode behind him at Haydock in November when he beat Good Boy Bobby by 15 lengths and we beat Dashel Drasher, who runs against us on Saturday, by further than that, so he looks to have the best chance 'without Cyrname' and we'll be trying our best to topple the favourite. I'm looking forward to it.

2.25 Newbury Sunday - Terrefort

Poor Terrefort had a brilliant novice season, winning two Grade Ones, but was never quite at that level the following campaign. We found out afterwards he had cancer in an eye. He’s had that removed and a lot of treatment and at the time also had an injury to his leg.

He’s clearly had a lot of time off but he’s back now and seems very, very happy. I’ve schooled him a few times and he’s in really good form. He’ll need this outing but it’s a good race for him, it won’t be a big field and he can get used to racing again.

3.00 Newbury Sunday - Sceau Royal

It was very uncharacteristic of him to fall at Kempton over Christmas but things didn’t go right from the start. He lost a shoe and it was a mess for the horse. Hopefully on Saturday we can put that behind us and he’s in terrific form. His work has been nice and he’s had a break since his last run so we have some freshness back into him.

He’s schooled well since the fall, it doesn’t seem to have dented his confidence at all and I’ll have another school on him on Friday. My lad has to be one of the form horses in the Betfair Game Spirit Chase and it promises to be a very interesting contest.

3.35 Newbury Sunday - Fred

We had him over fences but it’s getting a bit late in the campaign now to be trying to win a novice chase so we’ll keep him back for that next season now.

He’s rated 149 and is difficult to place but he needs to get out and runs in the Betfair Hurdle. He’ll want two-and-a-half miles in the future and if he finished in the first seven or eight we’d be very happy and then look at a spring target or two before going chasing again next year.

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