IT was this time last year that Daryl Jacob’s position as number one jockey to the Paul Nicholls stable looked precarious as he turned down the ride on the returning Big Bucks, calling it a “poisoned chalice”.

The situation seemed more desperate after Jacob’s obvious distress when narrowly beaten on Southfield Theatre in the Coral Cup at the Festival. Things improved on the Friday with a win for the stable on Lac Fontana but the injury in the next race looked to have sealed his fate. Noel Fehily might also have been in the number one spot at Ditcheat after Ruby Walsh left only injury also intervened when he was set to partner Kauto Star.