Daryl Jacob looks ahead to his Cheltenham Saturday rides
It's a big day for our columnist Daryl Jacob at Cheltenham on Saturday - but he'll also be keeping a close eye on the action at Doncaster too.
Daryl's Saturday rides
Bristol De Mai returns to action in the BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase at Doncaster on Saturday. It's well documented he was suffering from bad ulcers when running poorly in the King George at Kempton and I hope he can get back on track here.
I think it is a very competitive race and it will be interesting to see how it unfolds tactically. There are a couple of very strong stayers in against us in The Last Samuri and Definitly Red but we think Bristol is back in the sort of form he was going up to Haydock for the Betfair Chase.
If he is, he’ll be very hard to beat.
It’s also a big day for Wholestone in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle. This is one of the main trials for the Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and it looks a strong renewal.
My horse did it nicely when winning the Relkeel here on New Year’s Day and while this is tougher, he goes there in good nick. We’ll find out on Saturday if we have a genuine Festival contender on our hands.
My final ride is a really interesting one – Le Patriote for Dr Newland in the closing Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle.
He had his first run for the yard in the Lanzarote at Kempton and I rode against him there. He travelled very well for a long way and just looked to get tired.
I have a good record for the stable, I always enjoy riding for Dr Newland, and I think we have a great chance here.
There are a few of my regular rides in action at Doncaster and I’ll be keeping a close eye on them.
🎥 - Big day ahead for @Dazjacob10!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) January 26, 2018
🏇🏻 Get his thoughts on Bristol De Mai, Wholestone - and the ones that got away at Doncaster! pic.twitter.com/bB316l73T6
L’Ami Serge must have a great chance in the Sky Bet Chase.
He’s a Grade One winner running in a handicap off a mark of 152, seven pounds lower than his hurdles rating. I rode at Town Moor on Friday and the ground will be perfect for him.
He’ll love going left-handed and the race will suit him. He deserves to be favourite.
Hopefully everything will be straightforward for Sceau Royal in the Napoleons Casino & Restaurant Owlerton Sheffield Lightning Novices' Chase.
What he did in the Henry VIII at Sandown was incredible, he travelled and jumped like a very good horse and felt in great form when I schooled him earlier in the week.
Wayne Hutchinson, who rides on Saturday, had a sit on him on Thursday and is very excited. Hopefully he’ll win well and head to the Racing Post Arkle with a very impressive CV.
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede have two runners in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle.
Callet Mad ran at Cheltenham last time and coming down the hill I thought he was travelling better than anything in what was a very good race. Then he just cut out and has had a wind operation since. He’s another for whom the ground will be perfect on Saturday.
He’s rated 141, but I think he’s better than that – and he’s right in the mix here if that proves to be the case.
So is Indian Hawk who is with Nicky Henderson.
He was very impressive when winning at Ludlow last time. I’m not sure what he beat there but you had to be taken by the performance.
Clearly he needs to take a big step forward on Saturday but he could well be capable of it. It will be interesting to see how the two of them run.
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