Daryl Jacob injury: Jockey making progress but unsure if Cheltenham Festival return target is likely | Racing News

Daryl Jacob faces another three-week wait before learning whether or not he can target a comeback date.

The 38-year-old jockey suffered a fractured hip when kicked by a horse after he fell at the first aboard the Nicky Henderson-trained Caribean Boy in the Howden Silver Cup at Ascot on December 18.

Having missed the busy Christmas period, he is now in a race against time to get fit for the Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown festivals.

Jacob, who is retained by powerful owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, visited surgeons on Thursday afternoon and while the prognosis is good, he was told to be patient.

“We have to keep going the way we are going and in another three weeks I have to go back and see him on January 26,” he said.

“Then we will have more of an idea of timelines etc. At the moment, I haven’t a timeline on how long it is going to take me to get back.

“Being off is so hard at the moment, but thankfully no surgery is required and the fracture has stabilised, which is the most important thing.

“I just have to rest and do only very light walking on my crutches, but not a lot else.

“So, I’ve no idea about Cheltenham. I had a brief discussion with the surgeon. He said to get over the next three weeks and see how we are getting on.

“There is no point giving myself a timescale as I would be crushingly disappointed if I can’t make that timescale.

“It’s not easy when you are used to getting up and leaving the house at half-five in the morning and you are always on the go. It’s frustrating.

Jacob is looking forward to starting his rehabilitation at Oaksey House, in Lambourn, next week.

He added: “I’m looking forward to going there on Tuesday and seeing the crew. They might start giving me some upper-body exercises, but I can’t do anything on the lower half, unfortunately – it is still early days and only just started to knit now. It was a fair old whack I was given.”

The injury could not have come at a more inopportune moment, with Munir and Souede’s horses in fine form.

“It was terrible timing, probably could not have been worse,” laughed Jacob. “‘Double green’ horses are absolutely flying!

“I’ve had a great run over the past couple of years. I’ve had a couple of injuries here and there, but it is part and parcel of the game and you are only one fall away from injury.”