Daryl Jacob talks us through his five Saturday rides at Cheltenham's Trials Day including Bristol De Mai in the Cotswold Chase.
Monte Cristo – 12.40 Cheltenham
I’ve a nice book of rides at Cheltenham on Saturday and I kick off on Monte Cristo in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.
It’s his first start for us and he won a 15-runner handicap at Auteuil on his last start in France.
We like him. I’ve been riding him in work and he seems nice, he schooled well the other day. I think he might be a chaser in the making, to be honest, but we have to start him somewhere and it looks a good starting point.
Encore Champs – 1.15 Cheltenham
I’ve picked up this ride because Dickie Johnson has broken his arm and I wish him the speediest of recoveries.
Encore Champs looks a nice progressive type and he schooled well on Friday morning when I was down at Warren’s.
He’s gone up 10lb for his latest win so life is tougher now in a better race, but he’s going the right way so I’m hoping for a good run.
Bristol De Mai – 2.25 Cheltenham
It’s Bristol’s last run before the Gold Cup and he’s had a nice two-month break since the Betfair Chase.
We know he goes well fresh and he came out of Haydock well, things weren’t straightforward going into that race and he’s had a much smoother preparation for this.
He’s the class horse in the race but he has to give a few pounds or more to most of his rivals and he’s in against some progressive types like Santini.
It won’t be easy for him, it’s a good renewal of the race, but I maintain that he’s the one to beat and if he’s going to go close in a Gold Cup you want him to be winning here.
L’Ami Serge – 3.35 Cheltenham
I’m looking forward to riding L’Ami Serge on Saturday, he’s a class horse but he’s always a challenge! If you can get him home in front it’s very satisfying.
Yes, he can be tricky, you have to deliver him as late as is possible, but there is no denying his talent and I’m hoping the race will be run to suit.
It was a really encouraging performance at Ascot considering his long time off the track and it’s put him spot on for the Cleeve, I think his current odds of around 10/1 are pretty big to be honest.
Paisley Park is clearly the one to beat, but L’Ami could give him a race on his day and at double-figure odds I wouldn’t put off anyone backing him each-way.
We Run The Night – 4.10 Cheltenham
We Run The Night is another newcomer for us and he starts off in the Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle at 4.10.
He was unbeaten in France and his work and schooling has been good, but Saturday is a bit of a fact-finding mission as we simply don’t know how good he is.
A big field Cheltenham handicap hurdle is probably throwing him in at the deep end a little bit, who knows if he’s well treated off 131 – we’ll find out on Saturday.
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