Ratings Update: Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton

The Ascot Chase was the feature on Saturday and was won in taking fashion by the exciting Waiting Patiently (up 4 lb to 171p). Even with a couple of disappointing efforts – notably Top Notch (remains on 168) and Coney Island (165 from 166+) – it was still an up-to-scratch renewal, the upwardly-mobile winner producing top-class form to lower the colours of a back-to-form Cue Card (up 2 lb to 168), who had won the race twice before. Waiting Patiently is now a general second favourite for the Ryanair, justifiably so on form, though his connections are reportedly 'not that bothered about Cheltenham' and nominated the King George as a long-term target (they feel he's at his best on soft ground and a flat track). Regardless of whether he races again this season or not, Waiting Patiently is a huge credit to his stable and sure to be a major player wherever we see him next.

Waiting Patiently wins The Betfair Ascot Steeple Chase pic.twitter.com/6CXddVomVk

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) February 17, 2018

Earlier on the card, Black Corton (up 4 lb to 155) added a remarkable eighth win this season, this time in the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase. He again had the run of things, but disposed of his rivals in his trademark no-nonsense style, and the RSA Chase is next up for him. Form-wise he is just about the pick of the home-trained contingent, though the feeling remains that he may find a couple too strong at Cheltenham.

The Grand National Trial took place at Haydock and, as usual, it turned into a dour test of stamina. With so many non-completions and disappointments the race wasn't the high-quality, competitive race it threatened to be, gradually falling apart around the wide-margin winner Yala Enki (up 7 lb to 152), whose performance isn't the easiest to assess, in truth, because clearly he was the only one to give his running. The runner-up Blaklion (remains on 162) never went with his usual zip from a relatively early stage, jumping none too fluently, and is much better than this. The Grand National itself is his main target – beaten under nine lengths in fourth in 2017 – and he will likely give a good account again for all that he'll be 9 lb higher in the weights.

Some big names have won the Grade 2 Prestige Novices’ Hurdle, from Neptune Collonges in 2006, to Brindisi Breeze in 2012, Definitly Red in 2015 and subsequent Aintree Grade 1 winner The Worlds End last year, and the dominant performance from Chef des Obeaux (up 3 lb to 143p) in this renewal suggests that he could go on to bigger and better things, too. The Albert Bartlett looks wide open at this stage, but this performance puts him into the reckoning; he’s potentially high class.

There was a disappointing turnout for the Rendlesham Hurdle and Donna’s Diamond (146 from 140) caused a surprise in beating the odds-on favourite Agrapart (remains on 160) by two and a quarter lengths. The winner had optimum conditions – he is very effective in the mud – and produced a career best up in grade. Agrapart wasn’t on his A-game, failing to meet expectations in this race for the second year running.

The Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton is often of very little relevance when it comes to form clues for the Champion Hurdle, and the 2018 renewal is unlikely to be much different, even if Elgin (up 7 lb to 155) is supplemented for Cheltenham. However, as a result of Cliffs of Dover tearing off into a clear lead, the race didn't develop into a tactical affair and the result seemed to be a fair reflection of the field's capabilities on the day. The winner had come unstuck in graded company as a novice, but he’s an improved model this season, improving further to concede weight all round here, and recording a good timefigure as the table above demonstrates. 

Over in Ireland, Our Duke (167+ from 165) put himself firmly back in the Gold Cup picture with victory in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran. He was turned out quickly having not been seen to best effect at Leopardstown the time before, putting up a gutsy display to beat a very smart novice in the shape of Presenting Percy (up 3 lb to 153p) – to whom he was conceding 7 lb to – and running right up to his high-class best. Our Duke is still relatively unexposed as a staying chaser and heads to Cheltenham with strong each-way claims.