Waiting Patiently ready to take next step up in Ascot Chase

Waiting Patiently puts his unbeaten record over fences on the line in Saturday’s Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase, with trainer Ruth Jefferson more than hopeful her rising star can take the step up in class in his stride.

Winner of his five chase outings, starting off a mark of 123 in a Sedgefield novices' handicap in November 2016, the seven-year-old now boasts an official rating of 164 as he prepares for his latest test with multiple Grade 1 hero Cue Card, who will be reunited with Paddy Brennan, the highly talented Top Notch, Irish raider Coney Island and Frodon all potentially in opposition.

That mark puts Waiting Patiently just 2lb below Cue Card, highest-rated in the race on 166, and the bookmakers are taking no chances, generally quoting him as 11-4 joint second-favourite behind 7-4 market leader Top Notch.

Waiting Patiently recruited more members to his fan club with an impressive eight-length defeat of Art Mauresque in a Kempton Listed event last month, and Jefferson said: "He schooled well on Tuesday and is in good form.

"He has to go out and prove he’s good enough for Grade 1 company, but every time we have asked him to step up so far he has delivered. I'm very hopeful."

Waiting Patiently’s improvement has coincided with him becoming more relaxed in his races under regular partner Brian Hughes.

"He relaxes so much better than he once did," Jefferson added. "He’s got a good cruising speed and isn’t ground dependent, even though nothing is too soft for him.

"He’s also blessed with a turn of foot, which he demonstrated at Kempton. He outstayed Politologue at Haydock last year, but showed plenty of speed last time.

"He’s obviously a very exciting horse, but you can’t write off anything in Saturday’s race. Cue Card loves Ascot and all the others seem likely to get their conditions. It’s a big test, but we’re looking forward to it."

If all goes to plan, Waiting Patiently could then be aimed at Cheltenham's Ryanair Chase next month.

"The Ryanair is his only Cheltenham option," Jefferson said. "We’ll get Saturday out of the way first before we think about that."

Brennan back aboard

Cue Card: will have Paddy Brennan back aboard on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Brennan, aboard Cue Card for 13 consecutive races between the end of October 2015 and early November 2017 prior to being replaced by Harry Cobden in Haydock's Betfair Chase, has been recalled by the 12-year-old's trainer Colin Tizzard, with Cobden required by boss Paul Nicholls for Cliffs Of Dover in Wincanton's Betway Kingwell Hurdle.

During that period Cue Card and Brennan forged an alliance which yielded five Grade 1 victories, including the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2015, but also two high-profile falls on jump racing’s biggest stage of all in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Bryony Frost, who partnered Frodon to victory at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day last month, seems set to retain the ride at Ascot, with Nicholls's number one rider Sam Twiston-Davies expected to head to Haydock.

There he will partner Zarkandar in the Grade 2 Betfred Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock - a race the 11-year-old won 12 months ago - plus topweight Blaklion in the Betfred Grand National Trial for his father Nigel.

Twiston-Davies has won three times on Blaklion, but the last time he rode him in public was in April 2015 over hurdles.

Saturday cards

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