Jacob can step up into the big-time

Not many here earlier this week were staring at the blue skies and cursing the good weather, but if there's a young man performing a rain-dance in the Prestbury Park region this morning it's odds on to be Daryl Jacob.

The 23-year-old jockey from Enniscorthy has been presented with a career-defining chance in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on board The Listener, except no one knows better that it will be an even greater chance if, by some freak of nature, soft ground reappears at the old course in time for the big race.

The Listener, after all, likes squelch in the ground the way Robert Mitchum liked whiskey in his water or JFK appreciated variety in his women. Going on the dry just isn't an option.

With the horse, at least, we have some form to go on in that regard. Robert Alner's grey graduated to Grade One-winning class with a sparkling defeat of Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, and looked set to add to that for most of last month's Hennessy Gold Cup only to fade disastrously in the dying strides.

"Gutting," is Jacob's succinct verdict of that defeat by Beef Or Salmon, but he is also in no doubt that The Listener is a vitally important element in his hugely increased profile as a young jockey very much on the up.

"Daryl is an absolute natural on a horse," is Alner's verdict on the young rider he has steadfastly promoted. "He has a brilliant racing brain and he has so much natural ability."

Before Christmas, Jacob was doing well enough in Britain to lie second behind Tom O'Brien in the conditional jockeys' table, and picked up good winners, such as I Hear Thunder over the big Aintree fences in November.

But a decision by The Listener's owners to jock off Andrew Thornton and give youth its shout paid off in spades during Christmas. Now he has a profile to at least match that of his rival, O'Brien, who has a 50-winner lead in the conditional table. Rarely can the value of a big-race victory have been so graphically illustrated: which makes this Gold Cup opportunity all the more tantalising.

"It would be a completely different ball game again if we won the Gold Cup," agrees Jacob. "But you can't go out expecting to win a Gold Cup. All you can do is go out with the intention of getting a clear round of jumping and then seeing what happens."

Before this week, the articulate son of a Donegal fisherman marooned in Wexford had only ridden once at the festival, but confidence is not an issue with Jacob and it seems that that belief has transmitted itself to The Listener. A faller on his last two starts last-term, he has now transformed into a horse that seems almost to jump too well.

"I know it's a hard thing to say, but he was nearly jumping too well throughout the Hennessy. I think he got so much confidence from the Lexus that he thought he was invincible. His jumping was out of this world, but he ended up using a lot of energy. He has great faith in his jumping now - but it's always important that he has soft ground to jump out of," the jockey says.

Ah yes, the ground: all that drying during the week was the last thing Alner and Jacob wanted. Whereas Kauto Star and most of the Gold Cup field will relish improved going, The Listener handles muck so well he must be at a disadvantage on faster conditions. But that won't stop Jacob fancying his chances and he doesn't believe it's going to be a Kauto Star solo-show.

"Kauto Star is exceptional, there's no doubt. But up to this year he was a two-miler. He will have to really stay in the Gold Cup," he says. "I honestly believe Exotic Dancer is the one to beat. All you have to do is look at his record around here. At the price he is now, I think he is generous value."

As for The Listener, he has looked such a transformed character under his young jockey that a chance of blue-riband glory can hardly be ruled out, even on a decent surface.

Alner, after all, master-minded Cool Dawn's 1998 surprise Gold Cup success, and he didn't have The Listener's Grade One credentials coming into the race. Certainly, if the horse is up to the job, Alner believes his jockey won't be found wanting.

"Daryl is on his way to the top, no question," declares the veteran trainer.

Still, don't be too surprised if there's some rain-dancing going on this morning.