Daryl Jacob: Royal rumble at Wincanton
Daryl Jacob heads to Wincanton on Saturday to ride Sceau Royal in the Kingwell Hurdle and he goes through all of his rides on the card in his latest column.
With Terrefort running at Ascot in the Denman Chase and Torpillo running in the Victor Ludorum at Haydock it wasn’t any easy decision to ride at Wincanton on Saturday.
But the deciding factor was Sceau Royal, a horse that I love and one that has a great chance in the Kingwell. He’ll love the ground and he’s my Champion Chase horse, so it would’ve been very difficult to watch someone else riding him.
I’ve picked up some nice spare rides, too, so here’s a rundown of all my Saturday mounts…
Magic Saint 1.45 Wincanton – It’ll be great to get back on Magic Saint at Wincanton. I sat on him when he was a three-year-old for Guillaume Macaire and he always felt like he could be a very nice horse. He’s had a couple of good runs in defeat for Paul Nicholls over trips around two-and-a-half miles but Saturday’s race over two miles could suit him – Gino Trail and Bigmartre like to go forward and if they go quick it will suit my horse. He stays well and Wincanton will suit, so he looks to have a very good chance.
Atlanta Ablaze 2.20 Wincanton – I’ve never sat on Atlanta Ablaze but I know she’s a very good mare and she must have an excellent chance in the Listed Betway Mares’ Chase. She unseated Andrew Tinkler at Doncaster last time in a race won by Lady Buttons, but she was three from four before that including an easy win at Warwick which gave her a rating of 143. If she runs to that sort of level she should be tough to beat.
Sceau Royal 3.00 Wincanton - I’m really looking forward to riding Sceau Royal in the Betway Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday. It’s good to have him back. I was really pleased with him when he beat Simply Ned in the Schloer Chase at Cheltenham in November. He was brilliant there and you can draw a line through his run behind Altior in the Tingle Creek at Sandown. The ground was too soft for him there, it was dead, he’s never run on anything like it before. The plan after that was to straight to the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. However the way the ground has been of late, coupled with the fact he’s coming to himself well, quicker than we though, we’re giving him a spin over hurdles here.
Sandhurst Lad 3.30 Wincanton – He looks to be getting better with experience over fences but Warren Greatrex, whose horses are in great form, must think he needs a little extra help as he’s put first-time blinkers on him here. If they improve hima little bit he must have every chance but this does look a competitive little race.
Ballykan 4.05 Wincanton – Ballykan runs in the 3m1f handicap chase at 4.05 and he is at least coming down a few pounds now. Off 131 he should be very competitive on his best form and the good thing is he should come on loads for his last run, as that was his first start for nearly three months. He’ll like the ground and I’m looking forward to riding him.
Dan McGrue 4.35 Wincanton – He hasn’t run for a long time but he looked quite a smart novice when he was last seen, winning at Taunton on a couple of occasions just over a year ago. It’s complete guesswork whether or not he’s well handicapped off 132, we’ll find out Saturday, but Paul Nicholls’ horses are in great form and I’m sure this fellow will be ready to roll after his absence.
As for those I don’t ride…
Terrefort takes on Clan Des Obeaux in the Betfair Denman Chase at Ascot. He wasn’t right on his reappearance at Sandown but ran really well in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham. Jumping the second last I thought I had real chance of beating Frodon but he just got tired on me up the hill.
It was still a good run and he’s come on awful lot for it. He’ll run a massive race here.
Torpillo heads to Haydock for the William Hill Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle. He’s been very impressive on his first two starts for us at Sandown and it will be interesting to see how het gets on. Quel Destin is in there and it will be good to get formlines for the rest of our four-year-old team.
I ride Torpillo in work last week and he felt good so hopefully he’s another who’s going to run really well.
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