Jockey Daryl Jacob believes three-time winner Bristol De Mai still has "a great chance" of landing a record-equalling fourth victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' popular grey is now an 11-year-old and turns 12 on January 1 but his regular rider Jacob thinks he can still run a big race against last year's winner, Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup hero and current 8-15 favourite A Plus Tard.
Bristol De Mai has a wonderful record at the Merseyside track having won the Grade One feature three times in 2017, 2018 and 2020. He was also second to Lostintranslation in the 2019 renewal and grabbed two other Grade Two successes at Haydock in the Altcar Novices' Chase in 2016 and the Peter Marsh Chase in 2017. All those victories have been when the going has been on the softer side and it appears conditions are coming right for the veteran again this time, with more rain likely before Saturday's big race.
Last year was one of the few times he didn't perform at the Merseyside track, as Jacob pulled him up on ground the jockey described as 'good to firm' as Henry De Bromhead A Plus Tard ran out a wide-margin winner, under Rachael Blackmore, before being similarly impressive in the Cheltenham Festival blue riband back in March.
After that Betfair Chase run, Bristol De Mai ran with great credit carrying big weights in handicaps, finishing a close-up third to Two For Gold in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield and also being runner-up to The Galloping Bear in the William Hill Grand National Trial back at his beloved Haydock in February.
He was pulled up in the Grade One Betway Bowl at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse in April, but following a summer break Jacob believes he is ready to renew his love affair with Haydock Park and bid to draw level with the great Kauto Star with four victories in the Betfair Chase.
A Plus Tard ready to defend Betfair Chase crown
Jacob, who also won the Grand National on Neptune Collonges in 2012, said: "What a star he has been ever since (his first win over hurdles at Chepstow in December 2014). A multiple Grade One winner, three Betfair Chases. He is just the most honest, genuine horses and I have been very lucky to have such a great association with him.
"He has had a brilliant pre-season so far. He has been very, very good. Very enthusiastic. His schooling has been very good and his work has been extremely good. He has got all the enthusiasm he had last year."
Conditions at Haydock are currently good to soft, soft in places with the forecast for more rain on Thursday and Friday, Bristol De Mai looks set for the testing conditions he thrives on – something he didn't get 12 months ago. And Jacob is hoping it helps him grab what would be an emotional success.
The County Wexford-born rider said: "Last year was a right-off. The minute I walked out onto the track, I knew. They described the ground as good to soft, but the ground last year was good to firm. He never got into a rhythm. When the ground is that sort of quick ground, he doesn't get into it. Last year it was a no-go for him. I just wanted to look after the horse. He has been a wonderful horse for us and he owes us nothing. But he has come out since and he has ran probably nearly two of his career bests in those big handicaps, giving all that weight away.
"The Betfair last year was just a disaster. The ground was far too quick for him. But this year hopefully with rain they have had over the last 24-48 hours and there is hopefully more rain coming up there. I am very much looking forward to it. I am genuinely excited, I absolutely love this horse. I can't wait until Saturday. I hope they keep getting more and more rain. This year I hope the ground is what they say it is going to be and we are not going to get there it is going to be quicker than what they describe it has.
"He is always a horse that is very, very good when he is very, very fresh. He is a horse that gives maximum effort and it takes a bit of time to get over it. That's why, maybe, he has gone on to the King George (after Haydock) and never quite performed. He is a very good horse when he is fresh and well."
He added: "If he won it would be right up there (as his greatest victory). To win four Betfair Chases it is incredible, it's astonishing. We will keep dreaming. We believe we are going there with a great chance. I would to love to see it. The crowd at Haydock really warmed to Bristol. It is such a huge reception. Even walking around the parade ring before the race. It brings a tear to you eye. If he does manage to do it it would properly lift the roof off Haydock racecourse."
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Having been on the go since his first victory for Twiston-Davies and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede at Chepstow in December 2014, Bristol De Mai is now into the twilight of this career. And Jacob is delighted to have had such a long association with gelded son of Saddler Maker.
Jacob said: "Bristol has got such a huge following. These horses are special horses. And when you get the longevity out of them. Flat may be there for a year or two years and then they might be retired to stud. But these horses are great. He is 11 turning 12. He won a Grade One as a three-year-old and he has been around a long time. He still throws his heart and soul into every race he's in and even at home on the gallops. And all credit to Sparky, Nigel and all the team for keeping him at the very, very top of his game for such a long time.
"His CV is there for everyone to see. I love the longevity and the honesty of these horses. Every time, even at the age they are, they want to give you 100% that they have got every time they run. Bristol is up there with all the all-time great horses I have ridden."
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Jacob, though, knows the quality of the opposition he faces in Gold Cup winner and reigning Betfair champ A Plus Tard, Dan Skelton's Protektorat – who the Many Clouds Chase on soft ground at Aintree this time last year and was third in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham – as well at the Joe Tizzard-trained Eldorado Allen and Grade One scorer Frodon, from the Paul Nicholls' stable who have won the Betfair Chase six times in 17 runnings. But Jacob expects Bristol De Mai to hold his own once again.
He said: "He likes getting into a nice rhythm on softer ground and it will be a much different race this year to last year. A Plus Tard absolutely bolted in. But that was his favoured conditions – good ground, flat track. He is a very, very good horse. But I think this year if the ground is going to be as soft as they say it is going to be, it will be a much different race for him and Dan Skelton's horse (Protektorat). I think it going to be a very, very different to last year.
"His (A Plus Tard) form is there. He is rock solid and is a very, very good horse. I don't know whether we can beat him or not. But we are going to put in a much different performance this year to what we did last year. He is a younger horse and his CV says it all – he is a very, very good horse. It would be very difficult to beat him, but every horse can have an off day and if he does have an off day we will be there to capitalise.
"I certainly think Bristol De Mai may be overpriced. His record at Haydock is second to none. I don't think there is a horse that has ever ran around Haydock that has got the form that he has around there. Even in the handicaps his form is very, very strong. It is like a home game for him. The ground is coming in his favour. The great thing about Bristol is he has been there, done it and worn the T-shirt. He is a very, very good horse. I think Protektorat still have to prove it a little bit but I fear all them horses. They are all Grade One horses and they deserve to be there.
"The great thing about my lad is he is tried and tested. He is a warrior and every time he goes to the racetrack he gives you absolutely everything. The other horses, yes they have got younger legs but they still have to go and prove on the big stage."
And on the recent stranglehold Irish trainers have had on the biggest prizes in National Hunt racing, Jacob added: "The Irish form and the depth that they have over there is incredibly strong. But it has been going that way for the last five or six years and they are getting stronger and stronger for the British horse to compete against some of their horses. They come over and you see at Cheltenham last year and they were having one-two-three-fours in all the big races they were very, very difficult to beat. They have just got incredible strength in Ireland at the moment.
"We need to try and get faster horses in England. England was very, very dominant there for many years, and the Irish struggled to have winners over here but it is like a big wheel, The wheel will keep on turning and hopefully with a bit of luck we can get some good horses over in the country to take on the Irish."
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There was 16mm of rain at Haydock on Tuesday. Today is forecast to be dry with further rain expected tomorrow and on Friday – around a further 10mm in total is predicted. Saturday is forecast to be dry.
On the current going at Haydock Park, general manager Molly Dingwall said: "The ground at the moment is good to soft, soft in places on the chase track and good to soft on the hurdle track. We are due to get more rain tomorrow (Thursday), so we will know more nearer the day."
Barry Orr, spokesman for sponsors Betfair, added: "We have seen significant change (in the betting) since Monday. A Plus Tard is now 8-15 from 2-5, so he has been relatively weak in the market. Protektorat was 100-30 is now 11-4 and Bristol De Mai was 7-1 and is in to 5-1. The other two horses Eldorado Allen is 12-1 and Frodon is 16-1 from 20-1. So there is a slight ease in the market for A Plus Tard. He is 1.1 on the exchange so nearly 11-8. I don't know whether it is ground concerns causing a shift in the market at the moment, but we have seen good money for Protektorat."
The seven-race card at Haydock Park on Saturday sees the action start at 10.10am with the opening contest, the Betfair Weighed In Podcast Newton Novices’ Hurdle Races due off at 12.10pm – although there is a five-furlong Betfair’s The Race To The World Cup Stakes at 11.30am. The finale, the The Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Steeple Chase, is due off at 3.15pm. Gates open at 10am and tickets are priced from £15 for adults, if booked in advance. For more information and to buy tickets go online at https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/haydock/events-tickets/betfair-chase/
Entries for the Betfair Chase (Grade One) 3m1f125y, Haydock Park Racecourse, Saturday, November 19 2022
1 A Plus Tard (FR) 8-11-10 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead (IRE)
2 Bristol de Mai (FR) 11-11-10 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
3 Eldorado Allen (FR) 8-11-10 J P Romans & Terry Warner Joe Tizzard
4 Frodon (FR) 10-11-10 Mr PJ Vogt Paul Nicholls
5 Protektorat (FR) 7-11-10 Sir A Ferguson G Mason J Hales & L Hales Dan Skelton
5 entries (1 Irish-trained)
