WAITING PATIENTLY gave Ruth Jefferson a glorious Grade 1 victory in the Betfair Ascot Chase the day after her dad’s funeral.
Popular Yorkshire trainer Malcolm died just over a fortnight ago following a battle with cancer.
It was his daughter’s second winner since taking over the licence and she said nobody would have been shouting louder had he been at the track to see Waiting Patiently stretch his unbeaten chase record to six wins.
She said: “Dad would’ve loved to have been here and he would’ve loved nothing more to see him remain unbeaten.
“He did say it would probably do him good to get beaten just to lower everyone’s expectations. I’m just glad he didn’t do it today when it was his first run in my name.
“He would be thrilled – he had a lot of belief in the horse.”
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Old favourite Cue Card – reported to be as “good as ever” by Colin Tizzard - led into the straight as he went in search of his third Ascot Chase.
But he couldn’t hold off 2-1 favourite Waiting Patiently – who gave jockey Brian Hughes his first Grade 1 winner - on the run-in.
In a typically understated manner that could have been borrowed from her father Jefferson added: “To us this could have been his Cheltenham.
"We don’t know what ground we’re going to get and even if we get soft ground we might just stop and think about it. He definitely wants more cut than genuinely good ground.
“He might not be a horse that wants a lot of racing every year and there’s plenty of other races outside Cheltenham.”
Black Corton’s rise through the ranks continued with a smooth eight-length victory in the Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase.
The 7-4 favourite – now bound for Cheltenham’s RSA Chase – has now won seven times from eight races since teaming up with 22-year-old jockey Bryony Frost.
Co-owner Jeremey Kyle is also clearly enjoying the winning streak. The controversial TV presenter revealed he fancies a crack at next year’s Gold Cup.
He said: “I don’t think he’s got the credit he deserves.
“He’s an astonishing horse ridden by an astonishing jockey. He was amazing again.”
At Haydock, Blaklion was pushed out to 13-1 by Sun Bets for the Grand National after finishing a distant second behind Yala Enki in stamina-sapping conditions.
Shocking moment horse attempts to ESCAPE Towcester Racecourse after running in woods and knocking jockey offncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jqynqKqkZLWwvtKeqZqbmaO0cIGVaWlub2Bkv7bAx2ahnp6Wmr%2B0u82sZLCZmam2r7OMqZitoZWjwa3FjLCmp2WknbJursStnZqhomKutK%2FOrWScoJGosm67zWaqmqylp7GixY4%3D