Six of the best: looking back at the horses who have been synonymous with retiring rider Daryl Jacob

Daryl Jacob will take the final ride of his career on Mr Percy at Leopardstown on Sunday (3.05) after winning a Grade 1 aboard Impaire Et Passe at Limerick on Saturday. Here are some of the horses who have been synonymous with Jacob's big days in the saddle . . .

'I wanted to go out at the top' - Daryl Jacob to retire after final ride at Leopardstown on Sunday

The Listener

The Listener's victory in the 2006 Lexus Chase was special in many ways for Jacob, who was not only riding his first Grade 1 winner but also rewarding the faith entrusted in him by his first boss Robert Alner. Jacob was still a claimer when he steered The Listener to an eight-length victory over Beef Or Salmon, who had won the Leopardstown race now known as the Savills Chase in three of the four previous years, with that year's Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition back in third. Jacob's decision to move to Britain to join Alner and his wife Sally had been rewarded with his first flagship mount, who he steered to further top-level successes in the country of his birth in the 2007 John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown and what is now known as the Irish Gold Cup the following year.

The Listener wins the 2006 Lexus ChaseCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Reve De Sivola

Jacob enjoyed a decent association with Nick Williams, who provided the rider with his first Grade 1 win in Britain courtesy of Me Voici at Chepstow in 2009, a day before he won the Challow for the same trainer on Reve De Sivola. More than five years after partnering Reve De Sivola to a first win over hurdles in the Grade 2 Persian War, Jacob helped the stayer complete a hat-trick of Long Walk Hurdles in 2014. Reve De Sivola also justified favouritism in Grade 1 novice company at the 2010 Punchestown festival under Jacob, who won the Hennessy for the same Paul Duffy Diamond Partnership and Williams on Diamond Harry later that year.

Reve De Sivola (far side): on his way to winning his third Long Walk Hurdle from ZarkandarCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Neptune Collonges

Unlike all of the others in this list, Jacob rode Neptune Collonges only once in a race, but it would be remiss not to mention him given the race in question was the Grand National. The 33-1 shot rallied under Jacob to pip Sunnyhillboy by a nose and provide the jockey with one of his best days in the saddle in 2012.

$Sunnyhillyboy (far side) a fraction of a second before being denied the National by Neptune Collonges$

Neptune Collonges and Daryl Jacob pipping Sunnyhillyboy (far side) to Grand National gloryCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Bristol De Mai

Jacob won the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle on Bristol De Mai in 2014, the same year he lost his job as stable jockey to Paul Nicholls. Bristol De Mai would become a pivotal part of Jacob's role as retained rider to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, winning three Betfair Chases — the first being a 57-length romp over Cue Card in 2017. Jacob rode the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained grey in all but one of his nine Graded victories.

Bristol De Mai and Daryl Jacob in glorious isolation in the 2017 Betfair ChaseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

L'Ami Serge

Jacob added the French Champion Hurdle to his CV, courtesy of L'Ami Serge in 2017, and claimed another major Grade 1 with him at the Grand National meeting the following year in the Aintree Hurdle.

L'Ami Serge wins the 2018 Aintree HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Sceau Royal

Jacob rode Sceau Royal in 42 of his 54 races and enjoyed some memorable days on the son of Doctor Dino, winning three races at Cheltenham and the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase. Jacob's 15 victories on Alan King's consistent sort included two Elite Hurdles, a Welsh Champion Hurdle, the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase and successive wins in a Kempton Listed hurdle race.