Daryl Jacob looking forward to Cheltenham International Meeting including Top Notch & Sceau Royal

Top Notch is back on Friday and I can't wait to ride him again.

The Peterborough Chase, which he's won at Taunton in 2017 and at its usual home Huntingdon last season, being staged at Cheltenham this time will really suit him. I think Cheltenham, at this stage of his life and his career, will be better for him than a sharper track like Huntingdon.

I just think it'll help him as he'll have more time through the race. He's often come on for his first run in the past and I suspect that'll be the case again here, but he's done plenty of work at home. We are hoping he's fit enough to do himself justice.

He's had a breathing operation and he seems happy with his wind. I'm very much looking forward to it.

There are some good, young horses in opposition but he's been there at the top for several years now and there's lots of positives in a really open race. It looks one of the strongest Peterborough Chases we've had for a few years.

On Saturday I've got more rides to look forward to including Good Boy Bobby in the Caspain Caviar Gold Cup. I thought he ran very well up at Haydock behind Master Tommytucker who I think could be a very, very good horse in time.

We're a lot better off (11lb) at the weights this time which will hopefully help bring us together and I've got form around Cheltenham too, having been second to Mister Fisher, beaten just a length and a quarter when giving him 5lb.

Fusil Raffles hated the ground last time and I'm hoping it doesn't rain too much again. The ground just got very testing last month and he didn't handle it all. He wasn't enjoying it and I pulled him up.

The New Course will be fresh and hopefully a bit fresher so that may help and stepping up in distance could see some improvement too. He's still only a five-year-old and I'd be putting a line through his last run.

There are only four runners and I've got to give weight to Chantry House and the others but I'm not afraid of any horse in here to be honest with you.

Sceau Royal should have a good chance in the Unibet International Hurdle too. Again, he's another that I hope will handle the ground and it doesn't get too soft.

We had to make our own running at Newcastle and he ran a very good race, being beaten by an exceptional filly in Epatante.

We have to give weight to Goshen which could be difficult if that horse improves for the return to hurdles but, again, I wouldn't swap him for any other horse.

He had the wind operation coming into the season and the ground staying on top has helped him too. He's a happy horse and will probably have a break after this before being geared up for the spring targets.

I know James Du Berlais has been featured on Sporting Life recently and Simon (Munir) and Isaac (Souede) are very excited about him.

He's joined Willie Mullins and is a gorgeous, talented horse. He's a great prospect to look forward to and once the Covid situation settles down I can't wait to get the chance to have a sit on him.