It is often said that training Jump horses requires endless patience. And whilst there are undoubtedly those that take to the game like a duck to water, for others, the process of getting one's head in front can be tortuous.

So it has proved for 8 year old gelding Norvics Reflection, who has belied his impeccable breeding to remain a maiden under any form of racing until the age of 8. Beaten a total of 127l in 5 outings in the 2020-21 season, it may reasonably be assumed he was immature and unready for the task.

A two and a half year break has worked wonders for his motivation, if not necessarily for his owner's bank balance. That the owner is also his trainer, Ben Case, has not gone unremarked. Clearly, Ben saw something in the Mahler gelding to persist with. 

And so it proved. At Uttoxeter on Wednesday, he led from the off and showed great resolution to hold off Irish raider Bumble Bee Bet from Charles Byrnes' yard to win by a neck. 

Edgcote trainers are getting into their stride as the autumn begins to assert itself. Case is Edgcote's leading handler, and patience and expertise of this nature is one reason why. Sadly, the £4,356.80 won by Norvics Reflection in no way compensates for his faith in the gelding.