Daryl Jacob: Matt Griffiths is a “real fighter and grafter”

Jockey Daryl Jacob landed victory aboard Impulsive One in the first race of the season at Huntingdon - then spoke movingly of how the entire weighing room has fellow jockey Matt Griffiths in their thoughts and prayers.

Griffiths, who secured the first Grade One victory of his career on Dashel Drasher in the Ascot Chase in February, suffered a serious head injury following a single vehicle crash in Exford in Somerset on Sunday.

The Injured Jockeys’ Fund confirmed today that the 31 year old currently remains in a stable but critical condition in Southmead Hospital in Bristol. However, a 27 year old man, who was a passenger in the car, died at the scene.

Jacob partnered the Nicky Henderson-trained 1-4 chance Impulsive One to a 10 length victory in the two mile Huntingdon Season Opener Juvenile Hurdle.

And afterwards the 38 year old rider described Griffiths as “great friend and a real character” who is a “real fighter and grafter”. He said: “It’s not about the racing today. Matt Griffiths is the one we should be concerned about - it is tough in the weighing room today.

“Matt is a great friend and a real character. It just brings it home and brings you back to reality. I just wish him and his family all the best. It has shocked the weighing room and we are all thinking of him.

“He is a real fighter and grafter and a real hard worker. All of us in the weighing room are thinking about Matt and his family. Our condolences also go out to the family of the person who passed away.”

The odds-on winner was following up his debut success over hurdles at Plumpton and Jacob believes the experience will not be lost on the Union Rags gelding.

He added: “He is probably better off being dropped in. He got a lead at Plumpton and there was not much pace in the race today but it was another experience he got into him.

“He needs this sort of experience at the moment and it was a nice education to get into him.

“He made a mistake at the second last but I think the race was won by then to be fair.”

Former champion jockey Brian Hughes was another to have Griffiths in his thoughts after victory aboard Larch Hill, who made it two from two since joining trainer Adam Pogson in the Welcome Back To Huntingdon Racecourse Handicap Chase.

Hughes said: “It is shocking to hear and I’m very sorry for Matt and his family and the family of the poor man who lost his life.

“Matt is a great lad and a great jockey and is just a really nice fellow. He is still fighting and fingers crossed he pulls through.”

Winning trainer Pogson believes the eight year old is beginning to look a shrewd purchase having acquired him for £6,000 out of the yard of Nigel Twiston-Davies following his defeat in a selling hurdle at Market Rasen in August.

He added: “I just said to Brian, ‘drop your hands and see where he is happy’. Romanor took him on for four or five fences but he was soon in his comfort zone.

“In a higher grade we will drop him back from two and a half to two miles as he always jumps and travels well. I think he improved for the month off we gave him. It took him a while to settle in at home.

“I think we will probably look at the first meeting at Doncaster with him now. He is not looking a bad buy for £6,000 out of a Market Rasen seller!”

Jockey Stan Sheppard believes Argonauta will be seen to even greater effect when racing beyond two miles following his four and a quarter length success in the “Peterborough Chase Day” Sunday 5th December Novices’ Hurdle.

Sheppard said of the Tom Lacey-trained 9-4 winner: “He will definitely be going up in trip after that but he will come on plenty for that experience.

“It wasn’t the greatest race but Olly Murphy’s horse (Island Nation) is a solid yardstick.

“He made a little mistake at the last two and I was told not to get there too soon but I couldn’t do much about that as he took me there.”

Railway Muice defied a 12lb hike in the weights for his recent success at Market Rasen when completing a hat-trick of wins with a game two and a quarter length victory in the Clive Graham Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Sarah Humphrey, winning trainer, said of the 11-4 chance: “I thought the 12lb he got last time out would be too much but he is a game horse and he has proved me wrong.

“We thought he was well handicapped when we got him and he hasn’t put a foot wrong.

“Good ground is important to him. We were worried about the rain the track had and Nick (Scholfield) said he wouldn’t want it any softer.

“The trip is no problem to him and I would say he would be better over further than that extended two mile seven.”