Waiting Patiently just got matched at 34

Buddeliea, yes i don't see him as a gold cup horse myself but was the suggestion earlier in the thread that there aim is king george and then gold cup. i agree with you too that he'll probably never run at a festival. And whilst cheltenham isn't everything, i do think it's worth trying him at the track once before you decide it doesn't suit 9which seems to have been on their minds all along). Maybe he has run up light but i still feel this decision was made a while ago and with the ground possibly coming up soft they've been looking for another reason.

I laid off most of my WP ante post bet as soon as they expressed doubt after the Ascot run and it is no surprise that they are waiting for Aintree provided the horse is better by then.

Trainer gives pretty detailed explanation of why the horse is missing the race and punters think it’s either an excuse, a straight up lie, or that they are looking for reasons not to run him. And you wonder why they seem reluctant to communicate?
Obviously the drift and profit taking is disappointing, but it sounds like he was running up light last week and how many people work in the stable or speak to people who work in the stable - unfortunately it’s always going to happen and I’m surprised it wasn’t more pronounced.

Well they may well try him at Cheltenham early next season...I certainly would.
I just get the impression they don't fancy the course for him, may be wrong of course.

They had him entered in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham but he was n't 100% in the lead up to that race so they waited for Kempton in January.

Fairly small stable, lost a really nice young horse in Black Ivory on the same day Waiting Patiently won at Ascot and also they might not want to run him and Cloudy Dream in the same race ideally. I can understand their caution and she has been consistent in her communication since Ascot.

Looking forward, they might have a problem in terms of the race programme for Cheltenham experience because he is now rated 170 and all the races over the intermediate trip are handicaps - they could run him in the Shloer at the Open Meeting over 2 miles under a penalty but would want some cut in the ground presumably.The other option would be the Cotswold Chase but, given his apparent fragility, it seems a big ask to sandwich that between the King George and the Gold Cup if they're the targets.I can't see them contemplating running him in next year's Gold Cup with zero course experience. 

Anyway, getting ahead of myself - what I'm really saying is I would n't be surprised if we're having a similar debate about Waiting Patiently this time next year...

I just get the impression they don't fancy the course for him

I agree. Think the only time we see him at Cheltenham will be if he runs in the GC.

He's lightly raced and they are clearly playing it softly softly with him. Interesting that he hasn't been tested over further then 2m5f yet. Personally i think they have doubts about his stamina. He doesn't look like a stayer to me. Can't wait to see him in the Bowl as long as there is a bit of cut in the ground.

if that's the case then he should be in the gold cup this year as he would be a single price for it on this ground

likely to be back to normal good ground next year

I do not think they would want to do a Thistlecrack or a Coneygree eg one season, the horse a goner.

Aintree is the sensible way to go this year. Post the King George the Blue Riband at Cheltenham next port of call.

Mar 9, 2018 -- 9:43AM, impossible123 wrote:

I do not think they would want to do a Thistlecrack or a Coneygree eg one season, the horse a goner.Aintree is the sensible way to go this year. Post the King George the Blue Riband at Cheltenham next port of call.

quite possibly

and in no way am I dismissing this view or their campaigning of the horse

I just think this chat might sound v foolish if next winter/spring the horse picks up an injury or they struggle to get the ground they want for the races they should be aiming at next ssn given the ability of the horse

racing has a funny way of biting people on the backside for folding a good hand waiting for a better 1

been plenty of soft ground horses over the last 20 years that never got the ground they needed at cheltenham

Look at Our Duke. He was ready for the Gold Cup last season, according to most eg he dismissed a competitive field in the Irish National, I believe, but Harrington deliberately not ran him at the Festival; compare than to Sizing John who was going for any race in his way, and look what's happened to him this season - he is missing the Gold Cup.

bird in the hand...

Our Duke was a novice last season and nobody thought he was ready for the Gold Cup - he won the Irish National a month after the festival, off 153.
I’m sure connections of Sizing John or indeed Coneygree, really regret running their horses in the Gold Cup
Besides, they’ve clearly stated that the horse isn’t right, so I’m not sure what people’s problem is?

Besides, they’ve clearly stated that the horse isn’t right
where?

In the last 20 years only Synchronised has ran further than the Gold Cup distance and gone on to win the Gold Cup, out of the 89 who tried! funny old thing stats mind you.

You’ve got strong views for someone not following the story.....
Ruth Jefferson, “short of peak form” “He came back from Ascot OK, but when we started to ride him again the weight dropped off him....” “needs another easy week”
It’s all out there.

Excellent decision in the long term interests of the horse.

If so, Native River, Our Duke, Minella Rocco or Definitely Red could be the 90th.

Thats right, would rule all of them out Hope the stats are wrong this time as I've backed one of them.

desmond if you believe that bollox you will believe anything

sure he probably took time to get over the ascot run, that's usually the case with horses that run to 170+

but they were never going to run imo and now the soft ground has come so have the excuses

how many horses running next week do you think will be short of peak form
plenty that's how many
you will struggle to find a trainer who hasn't had horses held up with their work for 1 reason or another

This was maybe his perfect opportunity.

Can make all the bs excuses in the world but a v weak field and perfect ground are before him. This time next year they will probably rue not letting him take his chance,

You asked me what was said Wonder, I just repeated the quotes, you can choose to believe them or not. I do, the stable aren’t known for bull5hitting
They were very clear that they had misgivings about running here and the horse being less than 100% probably helped make up their mind, as Ruth said herself, she would look a fool running the horse if it was under the weather and didn’t perform. It may look a weak race, but I can’t think of many sub-par chasers that would have the beating of UDS.
I do understand that there are punters who believe there fiver ante-post should guarantee them a run and that there are those who think that the game is rotten to the core and everyone involved is corrupt and looking to put punters away every chance they get.
To those people I say this; why bother? Find something else that you do believe in, in which to invest your emotional capital. Life is short.

I have no financial involvement in the ryanair or any A/P race market at cheltenham

I'd like to see him in the race for the sake of the sport and also for racing in the north

I think the stuff that has come out in the last few days is laughable quite frankly although I respect their decision not to run

if it was only the horses who were 100% that were running there wouldn't be many runners next week

but if they want to mind the horse and only run him when he's 100% then that's there choice

So, for the sake of the North, you think the stable should run a sub-par 7yo with his whole career ahead of him in a potentially gruelling G1 chase against arguably the best 2.5 chaser in training. Presumably in the hope that it A) wins B) isn’t f***ed for the foreseeable.
The horse could be anything, the stable would’ve loved a festival winner, particularly given recent events. I doubt they’ve taken the decision lightly and were he 100% I think he would’ve run. You don’t, game of opinions as everyone is keen to point out.

Desmond Orchard • March 9, 2018 7:45 PM GMT
So, for the sake of the North, you think the stable should run a sub-par 7yo

lol get a grip ffs

just keep believing everything they spoon you

Sensible discussion over, I see.
And folk wonder where all the decent posters are......

I would like to have seen him in the race as well,especially with the loss of Top Notch.
We now have 2 of the antepost favs as non runners, and the race is a lot worse off now.

That however does not give me the right to call people who care about the horse and know the horse, basically liars.
These are people who have been nothing but honest with us about this horse for ages now.
Any stick they get on here or anywhere else is imo totally unwarranted.

The lass has just lost her Dad who was obviously a major influence on her life and career. I can't understand why people would want to crab her for what looks like a patently sensible decision. We've seen a few sons and daughters struggle along for a bit after the deaths of famous trainer parents and then they pack it in. They're hard acts to follow. I wish her luck and hope she can carry on where her Dad left off. She's made a good start.

nobody is calling them liars

Ruth was  straight with people about Cheltenham within 1 hour of his Ascot win. We don't know what the owners input has been on the subject.
Good decision imo.

desmond if you believe that bollox you will believe anything

That seems to suggest that you dont believe them.

The big puzzle is why he shortened again after being pushed right out following the statement from connections after Ascot when they made it pretty clear that they didn't like Cheltenham.

Speculation to begin with I suppose then people getting sucked in by the shortening price. Happens a lot.

I just think this chat might sound v foolish if next winter/spring the horse picks up an injury or they struggle to get the ground they want for the races they should be aiming at next ssn given the ability of the horse

racing has a funny way of biting people on the backside for folding a good hand waiting for a better 1

injured and misses aintree

I wonder if everyone is still back slapping at the assumption that because CC ran no race it automatically meant that WP would have did the same.

bonkers not to run in the Ryanair....the big excuse about the ground did not even exist...they had their ground

It would have been a brilliant decision to run the horse in the Ryanair when it wasn't working well
I wonder if everyone who thought the horse should run when not right in case it has a setback later is backslapping today

jefferson wouldnt last five minutes over here
he really does look after his horses
he is probably top of the non runners league
there are a few of them over there
dr richard and emma do the same thing
dont run them unless 100%
winning percentage more important than number of runners
they think their clever ......

* they are !

Thee horse has probably had a minor issue since Ascot which has now got worse and so he is out for this season and possibly for next season as well which is a terrible shame.

it is a shame but you cant wrap them in cotton wool

Yes, I’m sure all that standing around in his box and taking things easy have caused this latest setback

they have only got to lie down at an awkward angle and they can get up lame , many have cast themselves in a stable and not survived.

horses dont stand around in their stables..... if only they did !

agree with you irish
some absolute bollox has been spoken on this thread about this horse & on other similar threads
you cant wrap them in cotton wool 100% SPOT ON

how many times do you think horses are 100% sound, fit, happy and healthy??

almost never in their career that's how often

if owners & trainers don't want to run them then fine, its their prerogative

but let's not have the lectures on here

dont think many on here can be owners
let alone trainers
if they were
they would know the score !

genie in a bottle found dead in his stable this morning ......

"jefferson wouldnt last five minutes over here
he really does look after his horses
he is probably top of the non runners league"

This nobhead doesn't even realise Mal Jefferson is dead

ttt

I really hope he does win a good race this season as he is a very good horse but if I was his owner I would be getting pretty fed up.

See this thread has surfaced again.....any news on the horse?

Ruth Jefferson interviewed a day or 2 ago and said "he is fine but won't run unless they are happy with the ground. He will not run in the Gold Cup now as he missed the KG so will concentrate on the Ryanair". There are not many opportunities to get a trial run before then unless over hurdles.

Runs Saturday

Soft ground this weekend , lets see if Ruth gets him out of the box .
Trainer states it's worth considering , but I can't stand here today and say we're going to run him

Feb 6, 2019 -- 2:41AM, in hell wrote:

Soft ground this weekend , lets see if Ruth gets him out of the box .Trainer states it's worth considering , but I can't stand here today and say we're going to run him

My reading of the fact he might not run was because the Game Spirit is over 2 miles as opposed to anything else. The horse is fit and ready to run apparently.

If they are willing to get him beaten in order to have a run on soft ground, why not run? He always travels like a speed horse but his RPR over 2 miles is 10lb behind 2.5. I am really surprised that Fox Norton is even money though.

There's the Ascot Chase over 2m 5f  on 16th Feb, and he's 2/1 fav for it.

with the equine flu will newbury even be on??

wondersobright • March 9, 2018 4:44 PM GMT
think this chat might sound v foolish if next winter/spring the horse picks up an injury or they struggle to get the ground they want for the races they should be aiming at next ssn given the ability of the horse

racing has a funny way of biting people on the backside for folding a good hand waiting for a better 1

They will struggle to get a run before Cheltenham now. The Owners must be pretty fed up. A healthy horse rated 170 ready to run for 5 months, one run, one fall, £0 prize money.

If horse racing resumes after next wednesday the Ascot Chase on 16th Feb will be pivotal to getting him spot-on for the Festival in March.

If the going stick is 0.1 outside their criteria will he run?

I'm fully prepared to admit I'm wrong and almost certainly not in full possession of the facts, but Ruth Jefferson has and continues to f@rt about with this horse in a manner her father would never have done.

Yes the present closedown of racing is annoying and cuts across plans, but as has been pointed out, 1/3rd of a race this season and umming and ahhing about it's best trip and not even declaring it for the Cotswold Chase (tailor made for it I would have thought) etc et-bleedin'-cetera

It's all becoming a bit of a bore frankly.....

Ruth has had no luck . It is misfortune rather than mismanagement .

got a good record after a break.

No going news for Ascot yet however, Sandown (just next door) is soft (hurdles), and heavy (chase) for next friday's meeting.

Running in some micky mouse race at Kelso I believe.

Ascot will be good ground on Saturday - dry sunny week expected.

Has he ever raced without a break

She'd pull it out of a Walkover on Good ground.

Ridiculous campaigning of a potential champion.


R A C E horses.

He's 15/8 for the Ascot Chase on saturday. The ground is soft,...will surely run that ground, if horse racing gets the go ahead.

Can't see what folk are whingeing about. It took a while to get over a hard race in last year's Ascot Chase, then she ran it in the King George first time out, then it was declared to run again last weekend after a normal break but luck was against it and now it's declared to run this weekend. How is that keeping it under wraps? It's bound to be easy training it from your armchair. If the owners were unhappy they'd have moved the horse so it seems some people haven't got enough to do if they feel the need to spend time pretending they're making complaints on the owners' behalf.

Speaking personally I was complaining on a racing fan's behalf, because youre absolutely correct.

If owners don't like how the horse is being trained / entered they can take it to a proper trainer.

That Ascot Chase sure must have been a tough race! Coming off the back of a busy chedule of two races in the previous 12 months, he clearly needed over 10 months to get over his exertions.

There's no ecaping the fact that it's run about a mile in the last 12 months - oh, and the trainer still isn't sure what it's best trip is apparently!

Why didn't he run at the festival again? ground worry wasn't it?

So Ruth Jefferson isn't a proper trainer based on less than one year's evidence? I bet if she has to give up training the people denigrating her will be congratulating themselves on their foresight and judgement. Enjoy.

As for why he didn't run after his Ascot win:
“We’re taking him out of the Ryanair today. He came back from Ascot fine, but then when we started riding him again the weight dropped off."

If she has to give up training it'll be because she cannot attract enough owners at the prices she charges them. The owners of WP seem perfectly happy with the situation so all power to them. Like I said, I'm just passing comment as a racing enthusast who thinks race horses should race.

If it were mine I'd be asking questions about how it was ready to race at Christmas (after a 10 month break) over 3 miles, ran a mile and hasn't been seen since and apparently no one knows what it's best trip is.

Can we agree that never has a horse been better named?

Hanx: "Ruth Jefferson has and continues to f@rt about with this horse IN A MANNER HER FATHER WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE"

Hanx: "That Ascot Chase sure must have been a tough race! COMING OFF THE BACK OF A BUSY SCHEDULE OF TWO RACES IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS"

ie. when it was trained by her father.

I think you're allowing spite to get in the way of straight thinking.

No worries. The Ascot Chase this saturday is ideal for him - no further excuse for not showing up.

And I think you're taking this way way t00 seriously.

I've admitted I don't have the inside drop on all this and there could be any number of reasons why the horse hasn't run. It's down to the owners and the trainer to sort out a schedule for the horse and the owners (who pay the piper) to call the tune if they're unhappy with this.

It was  a throwawy comment.

Let's hope the horse runs on Saturday - mind you the sun is out for the next 4 days so I'm not hopeful.

Only running if vaccinated in last 6 months.

he's had a 'flu jab recently according to RP Weekender on Twitter (they've spoken to Ruth Jefferson for tomorrow's edition)

Top Notch aint

If he runs he must be considered a good thing against these lot, surely, and 13/8 not a bad price either.

a mild & mostly dry week is f/c so ground will be quicker than last year...slowest I'm expecting is g/s, maybe good places by saturday

must be bigger than 13/8 to even run imo

How can you possibly (or impossibly)  keep rattling on about a horse for the Cheltenham festival

When it only ran three times last year ? (since you moan about PP)
Unseated in the only decent race he ever ran in ?
Never ever run at the Cheltenham before  ?
let alone WON at the course before

Id say he was many pounds below class 1 standard and is no more than a two and a half mile plodder

OK hes beaten Cue Card …. the same Cue Card that was run off his feet by Balko de Flos etc in the Ryanair last year just a month afterhe ascot chase
And who has  beaten Balko De Flos …. not Presenting Percy …….. No it cant be ?

Irish, you do make me laugh sometimes or are you getting your net out ?

WP has won a open Grade 1 off 170p and PP would get weight off this two and a half mile plodder if it was a handicap. You are right WP has lots to prove at Cheltenham but he's the right price once you factor everything in...6/1 for the Ryanair.

By the way WP thrashed Gods Own who beat Vautour in Ireland...the last Irish superstar. Does that mean he's better than him ?

Irish, you do make me laugh sometimes or are you getting your net out ?

yep …..

We'll have a better idea whether the accolade or hype on PP is justified post saturday afternoon; bet against PP with Monalee (4/1).

Whetes the hype on PP

He is a two time festival champion ....no hype required !

"A two-time Festival Champion"

Winning a substandard RSA beating Monalee who ran in the wrong race, and not won a race since; a Listed handicap hurdle. For that I certainly would not call him a 2-time Festival "champion" - a misrepresentation.

"Sub standard RSA "


We are still ignoring a Welsh National winner then .... PMSL

Native River won the Welsh National too, and carrying top weight of 11st 12lb; he also won a Gold Cup with the 4th Road To Respect was 12l away. Has Elegant Escape won a Gold Cup?

Sorry, thought you said "sub standard RSA" ?

Poor bait

It was a sub standard RSA.

I just think this chat might sound v foolish if next winter/spring the horse picks up an injury or they struggle to get the ground they want for the races they should be aiming at next ssn given the ability of the horse

racing has a funny way of biting people on the backside for folding a good hand waiting for a better 1

told you so

all the rubbish about let's wait etc

another ssn scratched with this horse

10yo or rising 10 by the time it runs again, pretty much no chance of winning a big grade 1 now

Hype wins the day

the

Sadly WP is not a sound horse and I would not back him to run again never mind win.

Entered for the Dublin Chase February 1st

I suppose that todays result confirms how well he ran at Sandown.

i think it's prudent not to read too much into today's race; the pace undid UDS. DDS has not improved beyond recognition, I firmly believe.