Jacob leads charge north to Perth
● Quality fields for first day of April Festival with Aintree champ aboard Calett Mad
Daryl Jacob, fresh from being top jockey at the Grand National meeting at Aintree, is at Perth today for just one race on the first day of the traditional April Festival.
His mount is Nigel Twistondavies’ 142-rated Calett Mad for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede in the feature, the Listed £25,000 EBF Stallions Gold Castle ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Jacob, who has recorded a healthy four winners from just six rides at the Scone track in the past five years, said: “He has won from the front and from hold up tactics as we did at Musselburgh in February.
“He also won over course and distance on easy ground last backend, and he’s also got winning form over fences. It’s a nice prize to go for at this time of the year.”
Among those opposing in an impressive line-up for the three-mile event are Bialco, trained at Milnathort by Lucinda Russell, Knockrobin for Donald Mccain, and Jamie Snowden’s Lambourn raider Scorpion Sid.
Allysson Monterg shoulders top-weight for Gloucestershire trainer Richard Hobson in the £20,000 Phil Nelson Handicap Chase over nearly three miles.
Trained near Cheltenham, he has finished third at Uttoxeter since being pulled up in the RSA Chase at his local course on just his second start over fences.
Among the opposition in a competitive eleven-strong field is Ballyben, the first Perth runner for Ruth Jefferson, who took over the license following the death of her father Malcolm in February.
The 2018 Perth action gets underway with the aptlynamed Joseph Perrier “The Party Has Started” Maiden Hurdle.
Lovely Schtuff, a winning point to pointer, is an interesting contender and is trained by Britain’s most northerly handler, Inverurie-based Jackie Stephen.
The seven-race card sees runners trained in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales with leading trainers including as Venetia Williams, Tom George, Nicky Richards, Nick Alexander, Iain Jardine and Sandy Thomson all represented.
Meanwhile, James Cook can stake his Investec Derby claim with victory in the Investec Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.
Aidan O’brien has his usual embarrassment of riches in
0 Daryl Jacob: Feature race. the Classic division and while this Galileo colt is not yet considered part of the A-team judged on the ante-post markets, a win here would certainly see his price shorten.
A full-brother to Arc winner Found, James Cook is bred to excel over middle distances but he shaped well enough over shorter when winning one of his two juvenile starts last term.
Beaten four lengths on his debut when his inexperience really showed, he was still a bit green when he improved on that to win a mile maiden last October, with the official half-length margin not really doing him justice.
James Cook will face a stiff rival in Crossed Baton, who bids to give John Gosden a fourth successive win in the race, but O’brien’s raider can rise to the challenge.
While Gosden could be out of luck in the feature event, Royal Line should be up to the task in the Investec Corporate Banking Great Metropolitan Handicap.
Winner of his first two starts last year, his campaign was derailed a bit towards the end of the season and he again disappointed when tried at conditions level at Doncaster last month.
Royal Line certainly has ability and while he might not be totally straightforward, his official rating of 95 illustrates just how good he could be.
Ajman King ended last year on a high and can pick up in the same vein in the Investec City And Suburban Handicap.
The four-year-old was a winner at Epsom and Doncaster on his final two outings, with his final verdict on Town Moor particularly taking as he powered home by upwards of three lengths in what was a competitive heat.
He starts the year on a perch of 93 and should be ranking even higher than that in due course.