…..Daryl Jacob;
For all the excitement surrounding the newcomers, it is Le Frimeur who could emerge as one of the flagship performers for the Double Green team this winter.
His victory in the Grade 1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last season confirmed the promise he had shown earlier in the campaign, and Jacob believes a setback along the way may ultimately have helped his development.
“We always thought he was a good horse and he bolted up at Chepstow before he had a little bit of a setback, but I actually think that did him the world of good,” he says.
“By backing off him, he let himself down again and rebuilt himself, winning at Newbury before he won the Grade 1 at Punchestown.
“I still think he needs to step up on that. He was a fresh, fit horse running against horses that had had long, hard seasons. It worked out very well for him and he won comfortably, but the future is bright.”
The plan is to keep Le Frimeur over hurdles, with the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham the longer-term objective. Although novice chasing was briefly discussed, Jacob believes the hurdling route is the right one at this stage of his career.
“He’ll go to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle and then Ascot for the Long Walk, and we’ll know where we are with him.”
The staying hurdle division looks an interesting one, particularly with the possibility of new contenders challenging the established names. Home By The Lee, who is rising 12, has set a high standard, but Jacob sees an opportunity for younger horses to make their mark.
One such contender could be Jasmin De Vaux, who is back in training with Willie Mullins after an injury-enforced absence.
“He’s an absolute bull of a horse and he’s put on some weight,” Jacob says. “It will take a while before he’s out, but he looked promising when he won the Albert Bartlett and he could be another one for the Stayers’.”
