Matt Chapman talks all things Waiting Patiently, Presenting Percy and the BHA in his latest column for Sun Racing
LADIES and gentlemen, it’s what you’ve all been Waiting for!
After six days of equine flu denying us 23 race meetings, get ready for a televisual feast of hardcore racing action.
And Waiting Patiently could prove to be the star of a ten-race extravaganza on ITV4 this afternoon.
We’ve got action from Ascot, Haydock, Wincanton and Gowran in Ireland and they include a Listed handicap chases, two Grade 3 monster betting handicaps, five Grade 2s and the Grade 1 Ascot Chase. It’s not to be missed.
The Ascot Chase promises to be huge for Waiting Patiently.
It was in this race 12 months ago Ruth Jefferson’s ace truly exploded on to the big-race scene, completely a hat-trick by smashing up Cue Card by nearly three lengths.
Alas Waiting Patiently then had a setback and has been seen only once this campaign, when having a disastrous time in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Then, he was hampered and unseated Brian Hughes at the ninth.
Waiting Patiently is around a 5-1 chance behind ante-post favourite Min in the lists for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on March 14.
And the Ascot Chase won’t be a walkover, with the likes of Politologue and Fox Norton taking him on. The former was a fine winner of a Grade 2 at Ascot back in November and then finished a non- taying fourth behind Clan Des Obeaux at Kempton where Waiting Patiently had his mishap.
The major disappointment is the Magners Gold Cup favourite Presenting Percy is missing from the line-up for the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at 2.30pm.
ITV deserve huge credit for getting this on the box in the UK, but Percy’s absence is a blow.
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It would have been the first time Presenting Percy — quickly becoming a people’s horse in Ireland in the mould of Danoli and Dorans Pride — had been over fences in public since his brilliant success in the RSA Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Then, he destroyed the talented Monalee by a tidy seven lengths with this year’s Welsh National hero Elegant Escape well back in third.
With Presenting Percy out, it’s left to Monalee to show what he can do. He provides star Rachael Blackmore with a huge chance to secure a Gold Cup ride.
It’s hard to believe the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock, featuring the seasonal debut of Yanworth, will have much effect on the Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, with the exciting Paisley Park and defending champion Penhill dominating that market. One horse who could yet be in the Grade 1 highlight is Samcro, who may now make a return this season.
Many thought Samcro had been roughed off after disappointing at Leopardstown in late December. But Gordon Elliott told me in Liverpool this week he has one or two possible targets in mind for the second coming. Watch this space.
It’s just good to be back watching a great sport.
While few would argue the BHA had little choice after equine flu was found in three Donald McCain-trained horses, many questioned the lack of communication between those who handle horses — the trainers — and those in authority.
What was becoming clear early this week was that equine influenza can be in racehorses at all different times of the year and because swabs are not taken that often, due to symptoms not being that severe, life goes on.
Once the BHA went down the road of swabbing every horse it was almost inevitable there would be positives, but that does not mean racing should have been stopped.
The BHA at times seemed to suggest it knew more about a trainer’s horses than those in charge of them. That will never be the case.
If this ever happens again more communication between those in glass towers and those on the front line will improve the whole process.