---
title: "Bristol De Mai’s Gold Cup credentials on line says Jacob"
canonical: "https://readhorseracing.com/2017/02/10/bristol-de-mais-gold-cup-credentials-line-says-jacob/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Archer"
section: "News"
published: "2017-02-10T13:22:12Z"
modified: "2017-02-10T13:22:12Z"
---

# Bristol De Mai’s Gold Cup credentials on line says Jacob

Daryl Jacob, rider of Bristol De Mai, is hoping for a big run by the six-year-old in the Betfair Denman Chase as he looks to rubber-stamp his Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials at Newbury on Saturday.

Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the son of Saddler Maker was very impressive when scoring by 22 lengths at Haydock Park in the Grade Two Peter Marsh Chase last time out which has helped sway connections towards a tilt at National Hunt Racing’s Blue Riband event at Prestbury Park next month, for which he is a 12/1 shot.

Jacob, who has ridden the popular grey to a pair of Grade One victories since the gelding arrived from France in 2014, is hoping for a bold run on Saturday as Bristol De Mai takes on Colin Tizzard’s Native River, 6/1 second-favourite for the Gold Cup in a fascinating edition of the Denman Chase.

![Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2017/02/516511876.jpg)

Jacob said on Racing UK:

> We’ve been quietly excited by Bristol De Mai for a long time now and I think Saturday will tell use exactly where we are with him. Every year he’s won big races and done us proud.

“He was very, very good at Haydock. I went into the race quite confident he could put up that performance.”

![Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2017/02/625900476.jpg)

The form has seen been franked with Otago Trail, a well-beaten second in that race, winning at Sandown Park last weekend with Jacob commenting:

> We tweaked a few little thing and it was a good performance whichever way you look at it. He beat some really good handicappers and you’ve seen what Otago Trail has since done at Sandown.

Discussing the clash with Native River, the Irish jockey continued:

> It will be another big step up for him. It’s a tough order against Native River; what he’s done so far this year has been exceptional. I thought his performance in the Welsh National was top drawer. If we are going to be a live contender for the Gold Cup we’ve got to be getting close to him, haven’t we?