Daryl Jacob announces final ride following Impaire Et Passe success
(grade And 1) Racing Pic: The Guinness Steeplechase 00 Novice Passe Impaire Daryl Healy Faugheen Winning After Jacob Et
Daryl Jacob guided Impaire Et Passe to a fine win in the Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick - and quickly announced he would retire from the saddle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
The 41-year-old jockey was riding for his long-standing retained owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede in the Grade One feature, and enjoyed a four-length victory aboard the Willie Mullins-trained 8-13 favourite.
The success followed a testing time for Jacob, who has had a lengthy injury-enforced absence to overcome, and after adding the title to a CV that includes the Grand National with Neptune Collonges, he said his sole ride on the final day of Leopardstown's Christmas meeting would be his last.
He told Sportinglife.com: "It's the right decision at the right time. I've worked very hard to get back from injury this season and I knew I had some good opportunities this Christmas, including in the Grade One.
"To ride Impaire Et Passe there to win the Grade One, it will be very difficult to beat that now and finishing at Leopardstown, where I won my first Grade One, feels right.
"I've always wanted to retire on my terms, riding good horses, and Impaire Et Passe has been one of our best horses. He's very special to me."
Impaire Et Passe, three times a top-level winner over hurdles, had already won his chasing debut by 12 lengths at Fairyhouse in November.
Among a field of seven he was ridden patiently and always looked settled, making good progress throughout before laying down a challenge in the closing stages and sealing the victory with a good jump at the last.
The winning margin - the first at Grade One level for Mullins this Christmas - was four lengths on the line, with the Joseph O'Brien-trained Jordans the runner-up.
Jacob said of his winner: "He was very good, he really picked up from the back of the second-last and was good, brave and long at the last.
"I've always said it that two miles racing against State Man and the likes was always going to be too sharp and it was proven in the Aintree Hurdle. Please God he comes out of this well and is an exciting horse for the 'double green' for the rest of the season."
He added of his recent injury troubles: "I'm not going to lie, it has been a very frustrating spell for me and has been hard work. I knew I had one or two good rides coming into the Christmas period so wanted to get back for it.
"Obviously Simon and Isaac have been an integral part of my career for the last 11 years, that is a long time and we have a massive association.
"The are like brothers to me so I owe my whole life to them and also to Robert and Sally Alner as well. This is very, very special."