Daryl Jacob insists he feels under no extra pressure ahead of The Listener's engagement in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday. He was on board Robert Alner's grey for the first time in the Lexus Chase there in December as the pair raced to the biggest successes of their respective careers.

He made every yard of the running and galloped to an eight-length victory, but Jacob is aware he is unlikely to be allowed an easy lead on Saturday.

"I'm not really feeling any extra pressure this time round. Looking at the race, it is going to be a small field and I'll probably just try and do what I did last time," he said. "I haven't really thought about it that much as I have been busy racing. It's not something you really think about until the night before.

"There is a little talk that something may take us on for the lead, and to tell you the truth I'd be quite happy if they did. Ideally I would like a lead to just sit in behind, it would help me an awful lot. I wouldn't imagine we would have a soft lead though, I think they will be pretty much on my heels the whole way after what happened last time. He quickened away from them after the second-last the last day.

"The ground has always been key to him and hopefully it will be soft again. They are expecting rain at the end of the week, which is perfect.

"I went to school him earlier in the week and he feels fantastic, he has gone over to Ireland today and I'm looking forward to it.

"There's a new ingredient to this race with In Compliance. Nobody can be sure he will stay, but you only have to look at his form though to see he is a top-class horse over two and a half miles, so we won't hang about and turn it into a sprint.

"Michael O'Brien seems to think he will have no problem getting the trip, but we will make it a proper test of stamina.

"They thought I would come back to them in the Lexus, but I've looked at the video again and I don't think I went quick enough, so I'll make sure I do this time."

Beef Or Salmon was bidding for an unprecedented fourth win in the Lexus, but had to settle for second best for a change. However, Michael Hourigan is hoping his pride and joy can join a select group of modern jumpers to have 10 Grade One wins over fences.

He had his final serious piece of work this morning in company with another Hennessy possible, Hi Cloy, whose participation will not be decided until later in the week.

Meanwhile, there will be a precautionary inspection at Down Royal at 7.30am this morning due to an adverse weather forecast. The track was raceable yesterday and the going yielding to soft (some soft patches on the hurdle course).

Prospects for racing taking place at Carlisle and Ludlow today also rest on the result of inspections this morning.

Carlisle was partly frozen yesterday, and clerk of the course Jonnie Fenwicke-Clennell said: "The forecast is for as low as minus nine, but minus five to minus seven seems to be the general consensus."

Ludlow's clerk of the course, Bob Davies, was a little more hopeful, although he was anticipating temperatures of at least minus two overnight.