NATIONAL Hunt trainers often need the patience of a saint, just ask Paul Nicholls, responsible for this afternoon's Ritz Club Ascot Chase fancy, Young Devereaux (3.45).

Up until the start of this season the talented yet injury-prone ten-year-old chaser had only run eight times in his life, due to what can only be described as an extremely fragile pair of front legs.

When one considers most jumping stock perform at least nine or ten times every year, it puts into perspective just how lightly raced Young Devereaux has been since he first set foot on a racecourse at Naas in Ireland on April 11th 1998.

But Nicholls, who admits Young Devereaux "has been a nightmare to train", always knew he had a high-class individual on his hands, provided he could keep the horse sound.

The latter precondition fell foul of persistent leg problems during most of 2001 and 2002, a particularly low-point in his career when he only made it to the track on one solitary occasion. However, time is a great healer and the job finally seems to have come right for Young Devereaux, twice successful over the past seven weeks.

Following his latest success on January 18th at Kempton, Nicholls immediately pencilled in today's £100,000 showpiece for Young Devereaux, who if he does prevail has also been earmarked for next month's Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, so long as the ground is not too lively.

The other major pot on the card belongs to the £50,000 William Hill Handicap Hurdle, for which Chopneyev (3.10) is the red-hot market leader.

The Richard Phillips-trained gelding has been in sparkling form of late, rattling off a rapid-fire three-timer with ruthless efficiency. Last time out at Sandown he was the subject of a huge ante-post plunge and did not let his supporters down, shrugging off a mother-and-father of a blunder two flights from home before cutting down Camden Tanner with a pulsating late surge.

Defending Champion Hurdler, Hors La Loi III, puts his reputation on the line in the £50,000 Axminster Hurdle at Wincanton.

Hor La Loi III won the prestigious event 12 months ago under a brilliant ride from Dean Gallagher, but Dean is now serving a lengthy ban from the sport after testing positive for cocaine and his place has been taken by Tony Dobbin.

Dobbin is a more than able substitute, although for now he may have to play second fiddle to Norman Williamson aboard Rhinestone Cowboy (2.45), who has won all four of his starts this term with embarrassing ease.

Rhinestone Cowboy, running in the colours of Mrs John Magnier, is for my money the new champion-elect, unfortunately, until trainer Jonjo O'Neill confirms exactly which race he is going to take part in at the festival, it's no use trying to have an ante-post flutter.

Emma Lavelle has been making a name for herself as young jumps' trainer to follow, nevertheless she's not averse to switching codes and having a crack on the Flat when the opportunity arises.

Hence the participation of Gig Harbor (3.30), bidding to complete a hat-trick on the Polytrack in the feature race at Lingfield, the ten furlong £25,000 Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap.

Gig Harbor has won his last two races over a mile-and-a-half, each time ridden by the terrier-like Chris Catlin, who'll be looking forward to taking yet more scalps on the four-year-old.

The last word on a Saturday as always goes to Wolverhampton, where Effective (8.30) and Young Collier (9.30) should both justify favouritism.

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