Robert Anstruther

The recent form paints a mixed picture. After finishing second and third in his last four runs, Robert Anstruther is plainly in the mix for prizes but keeps running out of steam when it matters. Raced just yesterday, he came in seventh—a result that suggests he is being kept busy and his trainer believes more races will sharpen him up. The timing of his last two runs, both this month after two months without a win, hints that Candy's yard is searching for the right moment and the right company to get him back in the winner's circle.

What makes Robert Anstruther interesting is not where he has won but where he has struggled. In three attempts at Class 4 races—the highest level he has contested—he has not managed a victory, finishing out of the frame each time. For a horse with just one win to his name, tackling top-tier company is clearly premature. His strength lies in smaller races over his pet distance, and if Candy can keep him there and build on that Nottingham success, the next few months should tell whether Robert Anstruther is a genuine prospect or simply a useful second-division performer with one lucky day to his credit.