Waiting Patiently was an emotional winner of the Grade One Betfair Ascot Chase.
Until his death two weeks ago, the seven-year-old had been trained by Malcolm Jefferson and is now in the care of his daughter, Ruth.
Only 24 hours earlier, swathes of the northern racing fraternity had gathered for Jefferson’s funeral and his brightest hope subsequently landed one of the biggest races of the season, with the 2-1 favourite denying dual winner Cue Card in a pulsating renewal.
Jefferson herself had only notched her first winner at Kelso on Thursday and was struggling to hold back the tears.
“He’d be proud and I must thank him because Richard [Collins, owner] sent the horse to him not me!” she said.
“I’m thrilled to bits, thrilled for Richard and for everyone at home. I think dad would be crying now.
“We always believed in him, but he settles so much better now, he can give you heart failure early in a race, but his jumping has been accurate and when Brian [Hughes] asks he gives everything.
“This horse’s name does sum dad up, but he was named in Ireland before we got him. Dad did like to take his time and it has paid off.”
