Jack Tudor’s pride riding Waiting Patiently in Ascot Chase

The talented teenager had not even started his career as a jump jockey when the ever-popular horse beat the legendary Cue Card to win the 2018 renewal of Ascot’s celebrated Grade One chase on a tide of emotion.

He was saddled on that memorable day four years ago by Malton’s Ruth Jefferson as she mourned the loss of her father Malcolm, a much respected trainer, whose tearful funeral had taken place just 24 hours earlier.

The victory was epitomised by Waiting Patiently’s visibly emotional rider Brian Hughes looking to the heavens, and saluting Jefferson senior, moments after passing the famous winning post to record the biggest win of his career.

And while the notoriously fragile horse subsequently ran with great credit to be placed in a succession of Grade One races, he was switched by owner Richard Collins to the West Wales stables of Christian Williams last summer.

In doing so, the plan was for Hughes, this season’s champion jockey-elect to retain the ride, and he was, indeed in the saddle when Waiting Patiently reappeared in Haydock’s Betfair Chase last November. Yet, while Randox Grand National heroine Rachael Blackmore was riding Cheltenham Gold Cup runner up A Plus Tard to a resounding victory, Hughes was pulling up his mount who had appeared unsuited by the unseasonably quick ground.

Significantly, he’s opted to ride at Haydock today, provided the Merseyside track passes an 8am expectation, leaving the door open to Tudor, 19, to make his Grade One riding debut.

He will certainly be unfazed by the occasion – he came to prominence when winning the 2019 Welsh Grand National at Chepstow thanks to a nerveless ride aboard the Williams-trained Potters Corner in the pre-Covid era.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m definitely looking forward to it,” the young jockey told The Yorkshire Post.

“It’s great to get the chance to ride a high-class horse in a top-class race. Brilliant. I’m probably quite lucky that there’s not a lot of pressure.

“The hope is just to get the horse back on track – the conditions should suit – and I’ll just treat it like I would a normal race. Nothing to lose, everything to gain.”

Four years ago, Tudor was making his mark as an accomplished rider on the pony racing circuit in his native Wales. He then competed in point-to-point races before turning professional and blossoming under the tutelage of Williams who rode horses of the calibre of the iconic Denman in his own injury-hit career in the saddle.

He says he remembers watching the Ascot Chase, and being impressed by Waiting Patiently’s class, with little realisation that he’d riding the horse at the famous Berkshire track just a few years later.

“I can remember it being a very good race and the horse proving that he was a high-class performer for the Jeffersons,” said Tudor.

He intends to speak to the aforementioned Hughes on the morning of the race – “I get on well with him” – before walking the course and finalising tactics with Williams.

“I think he’s a straightforward horse to ride. Training-wise, he’s a little bit tricky,” ventured Tudor. “He’s got his problems and niggles, but it’s all been smooth for the last month or so. We’ll take it as we find it.”

In a wide-open renewal, headed by Joseph O’Brien’s Irish challenger Fakir D’Oudairies, and Jeremy Scott’s 2021 winner Dashel Drasher, Tudor is not the only proud Welshman harbouring hopes of a breakthrough Grade One win.

One of the leading contenders is the Nicky Henderson-trained Mister Fisher who landed Kempton’s Silviniaco Conti Chase last month under James Bowen, beating Eldorado Allen who went on to win the Denman Chase at Newbury just seven days ago.

Bowen, who has now ridden a winner at every British jumps track, has three Grade Two wins to his name on Mister Fisher and is desperate to triumph at the highest level.

“It would mean a lot if he could do it. I had the Grade Three, then the Grade Twos but now I want the Grade One. It’s something I want to get ticked off so fingers crossed,” ventured the 20-year-old this week.

But he’ll have to beat Tudor, his rival from pony racing, as a posse of young riders from Wales make their mark on National Hunt racing.

It’s also a friendly rivalry, says Tudor.

“James and I did a lot of pony racing together. It was very competitive in Wales at the time,” he added.

“Myself, James, his older brother Sean, Connor Brace, Ben Jones, Lorcan Williams. It put a competitive edge on us all at a young age and we’ve all gone on to do well. A good learning curve.”