'He had so much talent and took me under his wing at Dessie's' - Daryl Jacob reflects on impact of the late Kieran Kelly on his career

Daryl Jacob has revealed the key role in his career played by the late Kieran Kelly, who died at the age of just 25 in 2003 four days after a fall at Kilbeggan.

Jacob was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday’s newspaper in which he reflected on his sudden recent retirement from the saddle, the gratitude he feels to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede for resurrecting his career and the debt owed to Robert Alner, the former trainer he still calls “the boss”.

It was Kelly’s influence while Jacob was a conditional rider for Dessie Hughes in Ireland that led him to Alner. Kelly, who rode Hardy Eustace to victory at the Cheltenham Festival for Hughes in the year of his death, was a mentor to Jacob at that time and encouraged him to move to Britain, where opportunities were easier to come by.

Jacob said: "Kieran was an unbelievable rider and always destined for the top. He had so much talent and was a great person who took me under his wing at Dessie's. I was at rock bottom when I lost him but I've always said that everything I've achieved has been for him as well as for me. I look up and speak to him every day of the week."  

Spurred on by Kelly, Jacob started in Britain in the Flat yard of Richard Hannon but found his feet riding as an amateur for Robert and Sally Alner, initially spending two years with them and really flourishing when he returned there after struggling to settle at Paul Keane’s yard.

"I had two wonderful years point-to-pointing for the Alners,” said Jacob. “I was the leading novice rider in the country, West Country champion and won every award going as an amateur.

"Then I had 21 winners from less than 50 rides for Paul but for whatever reason I didn't settle or relax there. I fell out of love with racing and literally bought the ticket to go back to Ireland because I didn't want to be in a game I didn't love. But Robert and Sally brought me back to their place and told me to give it a few more months with them."

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