3rd-Jul-2021

Tashkhan has been backed already this morning, but I still think that it is worthwhile backing him at 11/2.

Winner of a 10-furlong handicap on heavy ground at Navan in March on his last run for Emmet Mullins, for which he was really well backed, he has continued his progression since he has joined Brian Ellison.  He just failed to catch Kondo Isami in a 12-furlong handicap at York’s Dante meeting in May, and he stepped forward from that next time to win a 10-furlong handicap at Haydock impressively off a mark of 75.

Raised by 11lb for that to a mark of 86, he was pitched into the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot last time and, while he only finished ninth in that, he ran better than that suggests from stall one.  An inside draw is a negative over a mile and a half at Ascot, and he was pushed along early in order that he could adopt a fairly prominent position.  It was a race in which they went a fast pace, and which was dominated by the wide-drawn, hold-up horses, so you can easily allow Tashkhan that run, given that he was drawn one and raced just behind the pace.

He races off that mark of 86 today, and that is a mark that he should be able to surpass now.  He is a progressive individual, and he is one for one at Haydock.

TASHKHAN WON (ADV 11/2 [RULE 4], SP 16/5)