Daryl Jacob reflects on riding career including Bristol De Mai

The Grand National-winning jockey revealed on Saturday his intention to retire a day later having tasted Grade 1 glory on Impaire Et Passe in the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick, and while unable to bow out in the best possible fashion aboard the Joseph O'Brien-trained Mr Percy, Jacob felt the timing could not have been better.

Speaking on Racing TV's Mark Your Card programme prior to racing on Sunday, Jacob said: “It’s been very special to have come to Leopardstown here today, it’s the place I had my first Grade 1, a place that’s always been very, very close to my heart and it’s one of the most beautiful tracks in the world to ride around.

“It just felt right after riding Impaire Et Passe (on Saturday), it’s what I’d worked so hard for coming back from the shoulder injuries and the last break (collarbone) was a complicated one, I’ve worked incredibly hard along with all the team there at Oaksey House.

“I just wanted that one opportunity to ride that Grade 1 winner and when I went over the line, with all those emotions, it just felt like the perfect time.

“Simon (Munir), Isaac (Soude) and Anthony (Bromley) are going to have so many wonderful horses here for hopefully many, many years to come, and I’m going to be a part of that. So, to come back here (to Leopardstown) will always be a very special for me now. It’s been a shock (decision) to a few people, but to me it felt right.”

WATCH: Jacob rides Impaire Et Passe to Grade 1 glory

Jacob thanked many of the people who had influenced him throughout his time in the weighing room, from “the boss” Robert Alner to Simon Munir and Isaac Soude, for whom he has been principal jockey for several years in more recent seasons.

Recalling The Listener’s Lexus Chase victory at Leopardstown back in 2006, he said: “I was only a claimer at the time and it took a huge amount of confidence from the boss Robert Alner, and Sally Alner, to me put on a Grade 1 horse coming over from England to Ireland. There were a lot of very good staying chasers in England at the time and it took courage to put me on the horse as I was inexperienced riding in Grade 1s.

“So, to do that and come here and do that for the boss was special. Every decision I’ve made since I left Ireland, every conversation has been with the boss, even teaming up with Simon and Isaac – that job was down to Robert so he’s been a huge part of my career and obviously the late Kieran Kelly, who basically kicked me out of his house and sent me to England!

“I’ve been very, very lucky, I’ve had so many people who have directed me and channelled me in the right direction. I’ve had a great team around me my whole career and I’m very grateful to every one of them. My valets – ‘Ginge’ has been with me for 23 years over in England, he’s seen a lot of highs and lows.”

As for his career highlights, Jacob enjoyed memorable days on multiple Long Walk Hurdle hero Reve De Sivola, Grand National victor Neptune Collonges and French Champion Hurdle winner L’Ami Serge, but it is a certain grey that holds a special place in his heart.

He explained: "Bristol De Mai was an unbelievable horse, he came over from France and Nigel Twiston-Davies and his team did a fantastic job with the horse. I can’t explain how good a job they did managing that horse’s career.

“I’m just very lucky being the person who got to ride him and have all those fun days on top of him. When he won the second Betfair Chase, after they’d written him off against the Gold Cup winner (Native River), that was very special. Because people said that he couldn’t do it again so to go out and beat them champions was a huge moment and one I’ll never ever forget.

WATCH: Bristol De Mai's second Betfair Chase success

“I loved Sceau Royal as well, I owe so much to him and he had this wonderful attitude, he was a warrior – he was like a little terrier and loved to have a ding-dong with other horses. He wasn’t very big, but he had the right attitude to go and jump fences. To win 15 races on him was wonderful, he was so well looked after by Alan King. He was a very special horse to me, and so was Top Notch.”

As for the future, Jacob is looking forward to continuing his association with Munir and Soude, acting as representative when required.

He said: “I genuinely believe I’m going out with the Double Green team in a really good position. JJ (Slevin) will ride an awful lot of our horses now, and Danny (Mullins), there’s Brian Hayes and Ben Bromley too, loads of lads in the weighing room who are going to ride plenty of these horses for us.

“Stuart Crawford has got a wonderful bunch up there, Henry De Bromhead, and Willie has a good bunch and the future is really exciting for Double Green.

“I’ve always really enjoyed coming over to Ireland, riding out and sitting on the horses and giving my little bit of feedback, and I’ll continue to do that. And I’ll be happy to represent Simon and Isaac whenever they’d like me to represent them on course when they can’t be here too.”

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