#Daryl Jacob

From Hurricane Fly's fourth consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle victory to The New One brushing aside the opposition in Cheltenham's International Hurdle, it has been an exciting year of racing. As 2014 nears its conclusion racing correspondent Marcus Townend reviews the past 12 months of racing, and picks his best race of each month. JANUARY Paul…

It's been a good couple of days for me on the track and it was great to win aboard Willie Mullins' James Du Berlais at Fairyhouse after 20 months off in the McInerney Beginners Chase. He jumped well, travelled great, was very fresh and keen, he was keen for the first two miles of that race. I think it was just the excitement of getting out and…

The high-class James Du Berlais made no mistake as 1/4 favourite on his debut over fences and first run for 612 days in the McInerney Beginners' Chase. Willie Mullins' charge has always held a lofty reputation since arriving as an experienced hurdler from France, so much so he made his belated first start for the yard in the 2021 Unibet Champion…

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a horse race, it's a social gathering and it's a handsome 96-year-old trophy. But it's also the most prestigious National Hunt (ie horses which race over jumps) festival in the calendar. This year the Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday March 10 to Friday March 13, with the highlight, the Gold Cup race itself, is…

The world's most prestigious horse race returns to our screens on Saturday evening as the eagerly-anticipated Grand National takes place at Aintree. With the cancellation of last year's race due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been a full two years since race fans were able to watch the most anticipated race of the year. Last…

It was a shame Edwardstone unseated Tom Cannon at the fifth in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton. He had been brilliant in the Tingle Creek and this was supposed to be further evidence that he's ready to have a real crack at Energumene in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Alas, it wasn't to be, but at least he returned unscathed and the Champion…

Blue Lord: an impressive winner on his switch back to 2m at Leopardstown Blue Lord looks set to be trained for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase after beating the two-milers at their own game in an impressive victory at Leopardstown on Tuesday. Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's seven-year-old had scored over 2m4f at Clonmel on his reappearance…

Join our channel for our exclusive free betting tips, picks and offers. The 2022 Challow Hurdle trends can help you find the best profile of past winners of Saturday's big Newbury horse race. It's a prize the powerful Paul Nicholls yard have won for the last two years and look to have another leading chance with Hermes Allen. Plus, we've a stack…

2022-12-27Blue Lord'looks like he could be a Champion Chase horse', says Willie Mullins The seven-year-old was in the top rank of novice chasers last season for Willie Mullins, with Grade One wins at Leopardstown and Punchestown sandwiching a third place in the Arkle at Cheltenham. Having made a successful reappearance in last month's Clonmel Oil…

Blue Lord emerged as a potential threat to Queen Mother Champion Chase-winning stablemate Energumene following an impressive success in the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown. The seven-year-old was in the top rank of novice chasers last season for Willie Mullins, with Grade One wins at Leopardstown and Punchestown sandwiching a third place…

The Paddy Power Chase eluded Willie Mullins but nothing else on Tuesday's card at Leopardstown did as the champion trainer recorded a remarkable 102-1 six-timer. It was not a first for the trainer who has achieved almost everything the sport can ask - he did likewise on April 25, 2018, at Punchestown - but the only surprise was the fact he fell…

Willie Mullins hailed a sensational six-timer at Leopardstown on Tuesday - with a 102-1 multiple that included a pair of Grade 1 wins - as one of the best days of his training career. Victory in the concluding bumper at Limerick with 11-8 favourite Largy Hill made it an across-the-card seven-timer on the day - a feat that matched his previous best…

Willie Mullins towered over his rivals at Leopardstown on Tuesday, saddling six of the seven winners on the card, including both Grade 1s, at combined odds of 102-1. The champion trainer saddled each of the first five winners before his winning streak was halted in the Paddy Power Chase by 33-1 shot Real Steel. However, Fact To File completed a…

I'm going over to Leopardstown on Boxing Day to ride NUSRET in the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle and I'm really looking forward to it. I worked Nusret around the Curragh the other day and I really liked what I felt, he's a lovely horse and it'll be nice to see where he ranks in the juvenile pecking order this year. I'm hoping he'll be there…

The crowds are about to descend on Aintree - the Grand National is finally upon us. Bookies will hold their collective breaths at 4.15pm, hoping for one of the outsiders to storm to the front and be first past the post. All of the best jockeys have a horse. The departing AP McCoy is on the favourite, Shutthefrontdoor, while Ruby Walsh will be…

The memories of Cheltenham Festival are fading and it's all systems go for the Grand National at Aintree. The Scottish National takes place at Ayr before that and we'll be building up to next month's action every day. Market Rasen's feature at 3:20 saw One True King hold off the persistent threat of Royal Pretender as the pair gave us a finish…

Stuart Crawford had never had a treble before racing at Ayr on Tuesday, yet enjoyed a 313.5/1 four-timer - with Daryl Jacob riding three winners for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Jacob made the journey north and maintained his red-hot form as his last five rides have now all been winners. He partnered the first three of Crawford's…

Well two for Paul Nicholls and with neither Nicky Henderson or the Ditcheat maestro having runners in the feature - he looks firm favourite to take a 13th Trainers' Championship. We had a winner for Ireland - one for Scotland - and one for Wales... Make sure you join Andy Jones and myself for all of the action tomorrow from 10am. The feature race…

I served a couple of days' suspension on Monday and Wednesday this week which was frustrating as the horses have been in great form on the track and I've got some cracking chances this weekend too with a bit of luck. Looking back on Carlisle last Sunday, Zambella was brilliant in the Listed mares' chase, making most of the running and eventually…

The Grand National Festival ends with the world-famous steeplechase today. The three-day race meeting at Aintree began on Thursday, continued on Friday with Ladies Day and will culminate for another year today. Come 5.15 pm on Saturday there will be 70000 on the racecourse for the Grand National and 500 million people watching the racing across the…

Ahead of the highly-anticipated WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, we cast our eye over each runner including hat-trick chasing Al Boum Photo and Santini Al Boum Photo, the Willie Mullins-trained chaser bidding to join Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate as a three-time winner of the Gold Cup, heads the dozen runners declared for Friday's…

There was a remarkable winner at Ayr on Tuesday when Lisloran gave trainer Russell Ross his first winner under rules in the 2m4½f handicap chase (2.40), having been backed from 66-1 to 100-30. The six-year-old, who ran in his trainer's blue quartered silks and red cap, had been 66-1 as late as 9.17am on Tuesday morning according to Paddy Power. He…

Wetherby is the stage on Saturday for a classy jumps card in Britain and the West Yorkshire venue will be hosting its marquee event, the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, at 3.05pm. A Grade 2 contest, the Charlie Hall is often the first stop-off point for some of the finest staying chasers in the land. Silviniaco Conti, Cue Card, Bristol De Mai and…

Four National Hunt meetings make up the racing schedule across Britain and Ireland on Thursday. The first flag falls at Lingfield (12.25-3.35pm), followed in quick succession by Thurles (12.30-3.40), Taunton (12.40-3.50) and Kelso (12.48-3.28), with a total of 27 races for jumps fans. Thursday's nap made a pleasing start to his time with Roger Teal…

The Grand National isn't the most prestigious horse race in the world for nothing. It's an incredibly challenging course, featuring 30 jumps (16 fences, with 14 of those being jumped twice) on the four-mile and two and a half furlong race. But, while safety improvements have been made in recent years, the Grand National remains a challenging task…

Who can stop superstar chaser A Plus Tard? No horse has even got close on his last two visits to Britain. He ran away with the Cheltenham Gold Cup last March, putting 15 lengths between himself and stablemate Minella Indo from the final fence in a way that even the down-to-earth Henry de Bromhead described as "extraordinary." However, that was a…

Connections of A Plus Tard ended speculation he may not run in Saturday's Betfair Chase (3.00), declaring the Gold Cup winner for the Haydock Grade 1 and stating "we're green for go". A drift on Betfair overnight prompted doubts around his participation on social media, but Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson was unequivocal last year's runaway winner…

The Betfair Chase is a Grade One National Hunt steeplechase, run over 3 miles 1.5 furlongs with 19 fences, that is held at Haydock Park in Lancashire each November. It is a prestigious race and a real highlight of the National Hunt season. The race gets underway at 3pm on Saturday 19 November. If you're looking forward to settling down the watch…

Jockey Daryl Jacob believes three-time winner Bristol De Mai still has "a great chance" of landing a record-equalling fourth victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday. Nigel Twiston-Davies' popular grey is now an 11-year-old and turns 12 on January 1 but his regular rider Jacob thinks he can still run a big race against last year's…

The Betfair Chase seems to attract more chat than most when it comes to high-profile small-field horse races. It's far from being alone in the genre but here we have a race where the entry stage is now being debated. Would switching from an early-closing race to the usual six-day entry make any difference to field sizes for the first Grade One of…

Three more meetings are scheduled across Britain on Tuesday as another Flat-racing venue comes out of hibernation. Pontefract (1.00-4.25) makes a seasonal return and is joined by jumps racing from Southwell (1.40-5.05) and Exeter (1.50-5.20). Tuesday's nap bids to ensure John and Thady Gosden bag the feature prize at Pontefract on day one of the…

Shishkin and Energumene are on course for a mouth-watering rematch at Cheltenham on Wednesday with the pair among eight runners declared for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. The top-class duo served up one of the races of the season in January's Clarence House Chase at Ascot when the Nicky Henderson -trained Shishkin narrowly got the better…

Rachael Blackmore can make history and win her first Cheltenham Gold Cup riding A Plus Tard. Henry De Bromhead's chaser, second last year, was extremely impressive in the Betfair Chase at the start of the season. He was then pipped by Galvin, when Blackmore probably hit the front a little sooner than ideal against a strong stayer, at…

Ten-times Grade One winner Altior might now be enjoy a well-deserved retirement, but the silks of owner Patricia Pugh he carried to glory on 21 occasions were seen back in the winner's enclosure following the victory of Attacca at Kempton. Having finished second on his debut at Warwick 221 days ago, the form of which has already been franked by…

Can up-and-coming hurdler Knappers Hill (right) take Sceau Royal's crown at Wincanton? If Sceau Royal wins this race again then it wouldn't be a surprise if it were to be named after him at some point in the future, because the ten-year-old has dominated the contest in recent years. He won his first Elite Hurdle off a mark of 149 when it was a…

channel for our exclusive free betting tips, picks and offers. This Friday, 28 October, the horse racing NAP of the Day, according to SportsLens experts, is Tuddenham Green. He tackles the Listed 2m Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby (2:55). Next Best, meanwhile, is Flic Ou Voyou in the Premier Handicap Chase there over an extended 2m 3f…

2 Queen Catrine (J P Spencer) 14-1 3 Wee Jean (William Twiston-Davies) 16-1 4 Graceful Grit (C P Lemaire) 25-1 24 ran Big question: Can Muteela make all the running? That's what she'd done for her last two wins and this lightly raced filly may not respond well to more restrained tactics in the toughest race she has ever faced. But leading from…