THE rain arrived at Haydock in the nick of time for one of the gambles of last Saturday in the progressive Tashkhan (105) who justified the support in gritty fashion to lift the bet365 Handicap.
In winning his second course handicap of the season, the former Emmet Mullins-trained son of Born To Sea stamped himself a stayer to follow with a power-packed finishing effort in a truly-run affair.
Niggled along in the formative stages, Tashkhan looked to be finding the strong early fractions set by Alpine Stroll then Auriferous difficult to cope with and it was slightly surprising that a horse with the pace to win over 10 furlongs in May was taken out of his comfort zone during the first half of the race.
However, once young apprentice Harry Russell cajoled his mount into the bridle, the combination picked up readily in the straight to land the market support in a closing sectional (37.75) which was virtually identical to that of Alounak (108; 37.80) in the Old Newton Cup.
Given that Alounak is rated in excess of 100 and possessed the quality to finish runner-up in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot last season, suggests the performance of Tashkhan was even more meritorious and he looks sure to give a good account should he be targeted at races like the Melrose Handicap at York’s Ebor meeting.
Two miles will also be well within the compass of the Aga Khan-bred three-year-old and, with his overall figure also nearly identical to Alounak, he is clearly a stayer going places. This victory also paid a handsome compliment to Surefire who comfortably beat him at Ascot.
The easing of conditions also played to the strengths of the Alounak who took advantage of some respite from the handicapper and his favoured cut in the ground to bolt up in the hands of Silvestre De Sousa.
Great credit
Like the earlier three-year-old handicap, the Old Newton Cup was also run at a very sound pace with the pace-setting Pablo Escobarr (103) emerging with great credit.
Five of the first six home were ridden with great restraint and tucked away in midfield as Pablo Escobarr served up some searching furlong-by-furlong times at the head of affairs.
The likes of Zabeel Champion, Brilliant Light and Longsider all tried to keep tabs on the William Haggas-trained five-year-old and paid for their ambition, dropping away one by one.
Given his track record at Goodwood, it would be no great surprise to see Pablo Escobarr attempt to enhance form figures which read 211 at the end of this month.
THE performance of Sucellus (80) at Haydock last Friday evening may not have earned many column inches, but it proved to be a brilliant performance on the figures and a narrow defeat of Poet’s Magic (76) after finding trouble in the straight may ensure the handicapper is not too swathing in his assessment.
In what proved a messy race, Sucellus, well partnered by Meg Nicholls, boasted the turn of foot to extricate himself from a pocket – something Mollie Phillips aboard the slightly unfortunate Doctor Nuno (68) could not manage.
A closing sectional of (35.15) was not quite as good as Mise En Scene (60; 34.90) and Dinoo (65; 34.78) who won the other seven-furlong events that evening.
However, the overall time for the finale stamps it as a very decent piece of form for what appeared a run-of-the-mill 0-70 handicap and it will be disappointing if the winner cannot repeat his heroics granted a similar set up.
Dr Nuno looks capable of finding a little race soon, while runner-up Poet’s Magic did not enjoy the clearest passage through and remains in good heart.