AVRO ANSON can give Malt on trainer Maurice Camacho the biggest success of his career by landing the 41st running of the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown today.
Avro Anson showed smart form as a staying hurdler, most notably when passing the post in front at the conclusion of the 1994 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The presiding stewards, sensing he had employed foul means to stay there, demoted him to second, handing the race to the Martin Pipe trained Balasani.
Avro Anson has not yet scaled those heights over fences but there is still time. He was highly tried for his debut in novice chasing company, contesting the Grade Two Dipper Novices' Chase at Newcastle in January last year.
But he proved equal to the task beating a certain Lord Gyllene by four lengths.
Two months later he justified odds of 1 to 5 in a similar event at Doncaster, and ran a fine race in the Grade Two Mumm Mildmay Novices' Chase at the Grand National meeting, going down by three quarters of a length to Addington Boy.
This season Avro Anson has had just three races, beginning the campaign with a close third to Jodami and Unguided Missile in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock in January.
Holding every chance jumping the third last fence, he responded willingly to pressure on the run in and just went under by a neck and half a length.
He unseated Peter Niven in the Agfa Diamond Chase here the following month before being asked to tackle Aintree's Martell Grand National on what was just his seventh start over fences.
Given Avro Anson's lack of experience there was little wrong with his sixth place, beaten a total of 38 1/2 lengths to Lord Gyllene, especially as Niven reported he had received a kick in the head on the first circuit, meaning he completed the remainder in a semi conscious trance.
Connections were reportedly to finish him for the season after Aintree but the bay's recent form has forced a change of heart.
Three miles and five furlongs on fast ground are tailored to suit Avro Anson, who looks out standing value to claim the Grade Three prize.
Frankie Dettori, also the victim of a bang on the head at Epsom on Wednesday, can return to claim the Group Three Thresher Classic Trial aboard Benny The Dip to give John Gosden his fifth victory in the race during the past seven years.
. Romanov embarked on a well worn path to start when enhancing his reputation with victory at Sandown yesterday. He followed in the footsteps of Kahyashi, Saumarezm, Spectrum and Hamas, all subsequent Group One winners, to land the Tudor Conditions Stakes.
