Jacob relishing The Listener’s Hennessy bid
The young Irishman was on board Robert Alner’s grey for the first time in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December as the pair raced to the biggest successes of their respective careers.
He made every yard of the running and galloped to an eight-length victory, but Jacob is aware he is unlikely to be allowed an easy lead on Saturday.
“I’m not really feeling any extra pressure this time round. Looking at the race it is going to be a small field and I’ll probably just try and do what I did last time,” he said.
“There is a little talk that something may take us on for the lead and to tell you the truth I’d be quite happy if they did. Ideally I would like a lead to just sit in behind, it would help me an awful lot.
“I wouldn’t imagine we would have a soft lead though, I think they will be pretty much on my heels the whole way after what happened last time.
“He quickened away from them after the second-last the last day. The ground has always been key to him and hopefully it will be soft again. They are expecting rain at the end of the week which is perfect.
“I went to school him earlier in the week and he feels fantastic, he has gone over to Ireland today and I’m looking forward to it.
“There’s a new ingredient to this race with In Compliance. Nobody can be sure he will stay, but you only have to look at his form though to see he is a top-class horse over two and a half miles, so we won’t hang about and turn it into a sprint.
“Michael O’Brien seems to think he will have no problem getting the trip, but we will make it a proper test of stamina.
“They thought I would come back to them in the Lexus, but I’ve looked at the video again and I don’t think I went quick enough, so I’ll make sure I do this time.
“He gets himself into a nice rhythm over his fences and when I ask him for a big one he usually comes up for me.”
Beef Or Salmon was bidding for an unprecedented fourth win in the Lexus, but had to settle for second best for a change.
However, Michael Hourigan is hoping his pride and joy can join a select group of modern jumpers to have 10 Grade One wins over fences.
He had his final serious piece of work this morning in company with another Hennessy possible Hi Cloy, whose participation will not be decided until later in the week.
“Beef Or Salmon worked very well. He worked with Hi Cloy and Mossbank and they all went very well,” Hourigan said.
“We will make a decision on Hi Cloy later in the week. I was always going to take him to Ascot, but there is €150,000 up for grabs down to sixth place.
“If he (Beef Or Salmon) does win it will be his 10th Grade One win over fences and I’m not sure if it is a record or not, but I’m sure not many have done it. He’s been fantastic to be involved with.
“He is still showing all his old spark, without a doubt, he now just has to go and do it.”
Meanwhile Jessica Harrington has confirmed Macs Joy is on target for a pre-Cheltenham clash with Hardy Eustace and Harchibald in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran at February 17.
The eight-year-old ran a most encouraging third on his seasonal debut behind Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle.
And with one more run beforehand, Harrington hopes she will have him spot on to go one better than last year when he chased home Brave Inca in the main event.
“I was absolutely thrilled with his performance in the AIG,” Harrington told At The Races. “When they went down the back and it looked like he was losing touch I thought ’we really have left him very short or he’s not as good as he was last year.
“But suddenly he picked up and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“He has definitely improved physically for the run. I know he always runs well first time out, but he seems to be in great form now and he looks a lot fitter.
“He goes on any ground, he has won on heavy. I think he probably prefers better ground, but the soft doesn’t inconvenience him that much.
“He will definitely go for the Red Mills. He’s in good form. He will still have three weeks before Cheltenham and that’s the plan at the moment.”
