san twiston -davies, no 1 jock for nicholls

I wouldn't rate Jacob at all Tony, and don't know why he held the position anyway. If he declined the ride on Big Bucks because of the reasons stated, then his position was untenable. What owner wants a jockey that feels he is not up to the job?? Terrible attitude, and hence deserves what he got.

Sam has plenty to learn, but looks to have a bright future, and has far more scope to be a top jock, which Jacob has never or will never be.

They are welcome to one another!

things is callit..he was right about bucks?..i got the horse wrong as I backed it..so I don't blame him there..but my point is the guy is out injured ffs..kick a man when hes down..nicholls has no class imo..

Ah yeah, the timing is very unfortunate, but that aside I would agree with his decision.

Whether BB won or not has nothing to do with the merit of his decision. He didn't want to ride because he hadn't got the balls for it. It immediately made his position untenable, and this was inevitable. I suppose PN decided there and then that he would wait til seasons end, which he has done, before delivering the axe. That Jacob is injured is unfortunate, but would it be any better to wait til he came back, thinking he was in a job,....only to find out he wasn't?? Personally I would prefer the way it has happened.

I agree with you callit about jacob, the idea of a top jockey turning down the ride on the fav in one of the years biggest races was ridiculous and showed jacob would never be a top jockey. From the moment he got the job, you got the impression that he was on borrowed time, I don't think nichols ever fancied him for it. We saw this when he gave big race rides to twisty and fehily when the stable jockey should have been riding them, in fact he didn't even give him the title of stable jockey refering to him as the main jockey instead.

I'd say Nichols is impossible to work for, Walsh was the only jockey that stayed there for a long time and he even said he knew when Nichols wasn't happy with a particular ride. He also showed he has no class by sacking jacob when the man is trying to recover from very serious injury from riding one of his horses. Nichols has made a number of poor choices as stable jockey like tizzard and jacob will go down as one as well.

I'd say the man nichols really wants is fehily but noel is too cute to leave his job with longsdon and the other stables he rides for like lavelle. He is getting towards the end of his career, has a young family and knows that nicholls has no loyalty and one bad cheltenham and he would be out the door like all the previous stable jockeys he has employed.

I never believed that Daryl did not want to ride BB. He did win a GN for PN but eaten bread is soon forgotten. I have not really seen anything to suggest that STD is better than DJ.

I wouldn't be as quick as some here to be taking Paul Nicholls word as gospel for the whole Big Bucks jockey fiasco this season. I'm sure Jacob will shed some genuine light on the whole sorry episode in time.

I was sceptical initially, as I couldn't believe a professional sportsman operating at the pinnacle of his game, would turn down a ride in such an event, on such a basis. But when no retort came from Jacob, one can only assume it was true.

I can tell you one thing. If I was in Jacobs position, and the story was a lie, I sure as f*ck wouldn't be accepting it being spouted in the press. To accept what was said without retort(if false), is just as bad as declining the ride. Either way, I cant see any positive for Jacob in it.

Yes, there is no doubt that Nicholls is an as*hole, but in this instance it seems likely that Jacobs own actions, or inactions, were the catalyst in his removal.

I'm sure Daryl had to bite his tongue over the stuff spouted about the Big Buck lark............I'm surprised Harry Derham didn't get the gig.

If Jacob had been given the job, it would have been utter insanity.

He is a million miles from being worthy of a role like this and is very lucky to be in the role he has. If he continues to be a  bit part player in the operation he is doing very well.

Leaving the fact that he is a very average jockey, he was classless at Cheltenham when Fingal Bay got the verdict and Richard Johnson should what a class act he was himself with the way he conducted himself after hearing the announcement.