The Waiting is over for Ruth
Jefferson can end 22-year record but stable star faces mighty duo
TURKEY or goose? Call The Midwife or Coronation Street? The M1 or the A1 (or the M40)?
The choices faced by most families won’t be a dilemma for Ruth Jefferson as she spends Christmas Day driving stable star Waiting Patiently from Norton, North Yorkshire, to Kempton Park, Surrey.
“Christmas Day will be spent on a very empty road – I’ll get a better run,” smiled Jefferson, who will take on the might of Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls when she saddles Waiting Patiently for the King George VI Chase the following afternoon.
“It just seems stupid to take the risk of travelling on the day when it’s such a long way. If anything went wrong…”
Whatever route south Jefferson takes, she knows victory for her unbeaten chaser will put her on the map – there has been no British- trained King George winner from north of the Trent since
One Man gained a second success 22 years ago.
It is only 10 months since Jefferson took the helm of the Newstead Cottage Stables upon the death from cancer in February of her father – and one of northern racing’s most popular men – Malcolm. But this is no Christmas weepy.
Jefferson, a dietetics graduate from Leeds University, is forthright and focused. Almost matter of fact – just as in the winner’s enclosure after Waiting Patiently had captured the Grade 1 Ascot Chase, 24 hours on from bidding a final f arewel l at her father’s funeral.
“Dad would have made a nice sounding board, but then you have to make decisions based on the information in front of you,” said the 37- year- old, assistant trainer for a decade-and-a-half and at school when she led up the stable’s 1999 Christmas Hurdle hero, Dato Star.
“There are pros and cons to every situation. I don’t know whether we’d have been more successful if he’d been here or not.
“But I think we’re doing OK.”
Waiting Patiently, 9-2 second favourite, is rated the most serious threat to incumbent Might Bite. Since inflicting defeat on the much-loved Cue Card at Ascot, Waiting Patiently has made just one racecourse appearance – a ‘day out’ to jump four fences under regular jockey Brian Bidding to give
trainer Paul Nicholls a record 10th King George win, connections are confident that
three miles on a flat layout will see the grey in his best
light yet. Hughes at Hexham earlier this month.
But Jefferson, cool on a Cheltenham Gold Cup challenge in March – “he’s not suited to jumping downhill fences” – is adamant fitness will not be the seven-year-old’s downfall.
“He’s always won first time out or on the back of a lay-off, and he’s never given me a moment’s worry,” said his trainer, also confident Waiting Patiently’s stamina, untested beyond two miles and five furlongs, will last the King George’s three-mile trip.
“It’s a bit of an unknown, but they went a hell of a gallop at Ascot, and when Brian said, ‘Go!’ – off he went.
“If I trained one of the other horses, I’d probably be looking at Waiting Patiently and thinking, ‘ If he stays three miles, he might be the one to beat.’
“You can’t be put off because there’s a Henderson or a Nicholls runner. You’ve got to respect every horse – b but I’m not going to run a away from them.”