Robert Anstruther

Trained by Henry Candy at Kingston Warren in Oxfordshire, Robert Anstruther is part of a yard that has been in decent nick this season, sending out eight winners. Candy is an experienced handler and the fact that he has kept this horse in work and found the right opportunity is reflected in what happened at Nottingham. Patience from a trainer often gets its reward eventually, and this looks like one of those moments.

The most interesting number in Robert Anstruther's record is what happens when he races over shorter distances. At five to six-and-a-half furlongs, he has won one from three races — that is a 33% win rate, meaning he wins roughly one in every three times he lines up at those trips. Compare that to his overall record of one win from nine races across all distances, and you can see the difference is stark. This is a horse that wants things quick and sharp rather than drawn out.

His recent form makes for mixed reading — the sequence of 1-3-7-7-4-7 going back through his last six races shows two decent efforts bookended by some disappointing finishes. But the win and a third place in his most recent outings suggest momentum is building. Until now he had raced mainly at Class 4 level — solid, competitive races without being the very top tier — and had not managed a single win at that level in three attempts. Whether the Nottingham victory changes how the yard pitch him next time will be worth watching.

At this early stage of his career, Robert Anstruther is a horse whose story is still being written. One win does not make a star, but it does make a horse worth following — especially if the yard keep him at the shorter distances where he clearly goes best.