Reve De Sivola seals second Grade 1 victory in 24 hours for Jacobs

First published on Wednesday, December 30, 2009

In years to come Daryl Jacob will remember this winter as the one when his career took off, and yesterday he seized a second Grade 1 win within 24 hours when Reve De Sivola survived a round of slipshod jumping in the Racing UK Free Today on Sky 432 Challow Novices' Hurdle.

The most serious of the errors, three flights from home, appeared to have blown all hope, and it was not until halfway up the run-in that the jockey believed they had a chance. Picking off Restless Harry and Finian's Rainbow close home, the winning margin was half a length.

"Those in front of us started to wilt in the testing ground, and I knew my horse would respond willingly every time I asked him for a little more," said Jacob.

"He is improving week by week. I reckon two miles and five would be far enough for him for now."

Race result and analysis

Like Jacob's Chepstow Monday Grade 1 winner Me Voici, Reve De Sivola is trained by Nick Williams, who, with his wife Jane, was instrumental in this season's revival of the jockey's career, which appeared to suffer a temporary crisis of confidence when he lost the ride on The Listener.

Jacob added: "Every jockey strives for Grade 1 wins because they are always such a boost to any career, no matter who you are, and to get two within two days is terrific. Nick and Jane have been brilliant to me, and I've so much to thank them for."

Williams said: "I was thrilled with that performance. His Cheltenham target will be the Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle. That was always our plan." Following the race, Paddy Power and William Hill cut his Neptune odds to 12-1 (from 20).

The winner is one of four horses owned by Bristol-based Paul Duffy, the principal shareholder in the Diamond Partnership.

"Like all our horses, he is not for sale, although one must never say never," he said.

Duffy, whose team also owns Diamond Harry, winner of last season's Challow Hurdle and humbled yesterday by champion stayer Big Buck's, was uncertain as to whether his winner will take in another race prior to Cheltenham.

Duffy said: "After the Challow last season we took Diamond Harry to Cheltenham in January, where he won again, but it didn't work out for him as far as the festival was concerned, so we'll give it plenty of thought."

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