Trainer Christian Williams hoping for a “nice run” from Waiting Patiently at Ascot

CHRISTIAN Williams says Waiting Patiently is lining up in tomorrow’s Betfair Ascot Chase more in hope than expectation.

It is now four years since the horse beat the crowd favourite Cue Card to land this Grade One race for Malton trainer Ruth Jefferson and jockey Brian Hughes on a raw tide of emotion.

The victory came just 24 hours after Jefferson’s much respected father Malcolm, one of the great gentlemen of racing, had been laid to rest after he lost an unequal struggle with cancer.

And while Waiting Patiently has been placed in a number of subsequent starts at the highest levels, owner Richard Collins opted for a change of trainer last summer.

However ,Waiting Patiently was pulled up by Hughes in last November’s Betfair Chase at Haydock, his first start for Williams, and will be ridden tomorrow by Jack Tudor, a rising star of the weighing room, for the first time.

“It’s a tough race, but it will be nice to get back on the track with him. He appreciates soft ground and he’s run well round the track before, so fingers crossed for a nice run,” said Williams, a former jockey, who is based in South Wales.

“Nothing really came to light after Haydock. He’s probably a tough horse to get in tip-top form at his age, but he seems well at home and it’s a privilege to have a horse in these type of races.

“You’ve got to be realistic. We just hope he runs a nice race and gives us something to build on.”

Waiting Patiently is one of eight horses declared for the Ascot Chase, with the field headed by Jeremy Scott’s defending champion Dashel Drasher.

Irish raider Fakir D’oudairies is a major contender for Joseph O’Brien, while champion trainer Paul Nicholls relies on Saint Calvados, who finished third in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The in-form Venetia Williams saddles Fanion D’Estruval, Nicky Henderson runs multiple Grade Two winner Mister Fisher and Lostintranslation, a winner over the course and distance for Colin Tizzard earlier in the season, completes the field.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire sprinter Acklam Express is back from a 248-day absence in the Blue Point Sprint today – and trainer Nigel Tinkler is relishing the chance to return his stable star to the Meydan turf he showed a real liking for 12 months ago.

A three-time winner in his juvenile season, the son of Mehmas placed in all three appearances in Dubai in 2021, culminating in a fine effort to get within a length of winner Extravagant Kid when third in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night.

He was then sighted only twice domestically in the summer, well beaten when sent off favourite for the Listed Westow Stakes at York, before finishing a six-length 10th of 16 in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, Tinkler believes those performances are nothing to worry about and it was the plan all along to save Acklam Express for the place he loves best.

He said: “I thought he ran very well in the Kings Stand, but we put him away knowing we were going to come here.

“It’s great prize money out in Dubai and basically that three-year-old career in England is very difficult, so we thought we’d forfeit it a little and allow him time to grow.

“He’s much stronger now, so that’s the main reason why we chose not run him.”

Having had time to mature and strengthen up, Tinkler is happy with the four-year-old ahead of a Group Two contest in which he finished second to Equilateral last season.

He is the second-favourite behind Godolphin’s Lazuli, who drops back in trip having finished second in a Listed race over six furlongs last time.

“The horse is really well, he’s a complete professional and loves it out in Dubai. He’s in great order and as fit as we can have him without a run and we’re very happy with him,” said Tinkler, who is targeting the same three Meydan races as last season.

“We’ve brought him here for three races – Friday, Super Sunday and if all goes to plan, World Cup night. After that he’ll have a little break and we might work towards the King’s Stand. He doesn’t need that many races and we’ll just play it by ear.”

Today’s meeting at Fakenham has been called off as a precaution because of Storm Eunice – and the forecast high winds that are expected to sweep over large swathes of the country.

The Norfolk course took an early decision before horses, and connections, began to make the long trip to the rural track.

Chief executive David Hunter said: “We have been forecast winds between 70 and 80 miles an hour between midday and 3pm tomorrow and I just think it would be irresponsible of us to consider putting a race meeting on, for travel especially.

“We would have people and horses travelling from all over the country which would be dangerous and even if they get here it would be dangerous with the possibility of flying debris.”

Inspections will take place this morning at Lingfield, Kelso and Southwell to determine prospects for racing.