Waiting Patiently out of Cheltenham by Malcolm Jefferson

Waiting Patiently is making connections do just that as a small setback has ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival.

Malcolm Jefferson's exciting six-year-old is the only horse to have beaten Paul Nicholls' Politologue this season and the champion trainer rates the grey as one of his best chances of the week.

Jefferson had already stated that Waiting Patiently would only run if there was enough cut in the ground but the possibility of him turning up has now been ended.

Aintree is now on his radar, hopefully.

The Malton handler said: "He won't be going to Cheltenham unfortunately.

"He's just got a slight niggle so we are waiting patiently, for Aintree all being well."