Daryl Jacob is to miss the busy Christmas period with a hand injury – and with it the mount on Footpad in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26th.

Retained rider for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Jacob was riding the Ben Pauling-trained Guena Des Mottes at Musselburgh on Monday, when coming to grief at the third-last.

Jacob was also in the wars at Sandown last week. He told Sporting Life: “Unfortunately I’m going to be out for at least two or three weeks with a hand injury. I’ll be out all over Christmas, but with a bit of luck will be back early in the new year.

“It’s been a tough week with my two falls and then the horses ran a little flat at Sandown as well. Thankfully Top Notch got us back on track by winning the Peterborough Chase (at Huntingdon on Sunday).”

As well as Footpad, another likely big ride for Jacob at Kempton would have been the Nicky Henderson-trained Fusil Raffles in the Christmas Hurdle.

FREE 230-PAGE DIRECTORY WITH THE IRISH FIELD NEXT WEEKEND