Jacob bids to return on Wednesday
DARYL JACOB may return at Ludlow on Wednesday following a hand injury.
Jacob has been out of action since a tumble from the Ben Pauling-trained Guena Des Mottes at Musselburgh on December 9.
The spill ruled him out of the busy Christmas period and the ride on Footpad – who eventually finished third – in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.
“Thankfully it looks like I’ll be back in the saddle next week,” Jacob told www.sportinglife.com.
“I’m riding out at Nicky Henderson’s on Tuesday and if I get the all-clear from the physio, I’ll be back at Ludlow on Wednesday.”
RACINGTV
THE owners of Protektorat – who include Sir Alex Ferguson – will appeal the decision of the stewards at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day to demote their winning hurdler.
Protektorat was first past the post in the Listed Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, but after racing’s equivalent of VAR, the stewards reversed the placings and gave the race to the head runner-up Imperial Alcazar.
They decided inteference had improved Protektorat’s placing as he came across to the rail, forcing Paddy Brennan to switch ‘at a critical point in the race.’
The owners will take their case to the British Horseracing Authority in the coming days.
“On the day I was very surprised to lose the race, as were quite a lot of other people who I spoke to,” jockey Harry Skelton told Grovesnorsport. com. “The horse is owned by the Hales Family, my sponsor Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson, left, who are all great supporters of ours. They want to appeal the result, which I think is understandable.” Principal owner John Hales called Protektorat’s demotion ‘the strangest decision of my time in racing’.