Gentleman Anshan

Gentleman Anshan took the eye travelling well in the rear of a Class 4 beginners’ chase at Ludlow last Wednesday on his first try at three miles, but he did not see the trip out.

As you would expect from one who has come from the hunting field, he jumped big and bold early on before he started measuring his fences more accurately and conservatively. Still last with a circuit to run, he made progress up the inside, still travelling smoothly, and was creeping right into it when he made a terrible blunder at the second down the back straight and had to be picked right up off his nose. He was back on the bridle straight away though and got right into the leading group at the end of the back straight looking a real danger. He just started to feel the pinch when Mexican Pete went on just before the home turn and he was not knocked about by his rider as Mexican Pete and the eventual winner Maraafeq pulled clear over the last couple of fences. He didn’t get home here but will be interesting off his mark of 100 back down over two and a half miles or thereabouts.

This was not a bad effort at all though; the race was a fairly decent one for the grade with Maraafeq a 121-rated hurdler (he had been as high as 128 at the start of the season) and Mexican Pete had been as high as 133 over hurdles before he was off for a long time, but he brought some pretty decent chasing experience into this contest. Platin Grounds, who finished just in front of Gentleman Anshan, is a 130-rated hurdler who is trying to find his way back after a long absence.

Rosemary Gasson’s gelding clearly has ability and does appeal as the type for handicaps off this mark. He faded the time before at Warwick but had previously run well enough to finish third to the very smart Phidippides also round here. He has the potential to win off this mark that is for sure. He is only seven, this was just his fifth run on a racecourse, and he can continue to progress.

9th February 2011