MALTON trainer Maurice Camacho declared Avro Anson a "doubtful starter" for the Sun Alliance Chase at next week's Cheltenham Festival despite his star jumper recording a six length victory under Mark Dwyer in the Racing Channel Novices' Chase at Doncaster yesterday.
Avro Anson was never in serious danger of defeat yesterday - apart from a confidence shaking blunder at the fence in front of the stands on the first circuit.
However, Camacho said: "I expected to come here and see Avro Anson win comfortably, but thought that was a moderate effort." Camacho explained: "It wasn't his jumping that disappointed me - that was adequate.
He just didn't travel very well in the race and I believe he needs to be more competitive."
Paul Carberry ended the afternoon with two winners and only just missed out on a third. Tara Rambler readily accounted for 18 rivals in the EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) and Carberry guided Real Tonic home by three quarters of a length from Three Wild Days in the South Yorkshire Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
But General Command just missed out in the Wadworth Novices' Handicap Chase, when the photo finish revealed that Rhossili Bay had got up in the last stride to snatch a short head victory.
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