Ex-Irish Tashkhan lands big pot at Haydock Brian Ellison was delighted see Tashkhan claim a second win at Haydock this season with a decisive display in the £100,000 bet365 Handicap. Bought privately from Irish trainer Emmet Mullins after winning at Navan in the spring, the three-year-old has already proved a shrewd purchase for his new connections. A winner on Merseyside in May, the son of Born To Sea could only finish ninth in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, but looked far more comfortable back on rain-softened ground. Ridden by 5lb claimer Harry Russell, the 16-5 chance moved moved pulled a length and a half clear of Summer’s Knight to leave his trainer considering an appearance at next month’s Ebor Festival at York. Ellison said: “He loves that ground. We went to Ascot and we didn’t really want to run him, but decided to let him take his chance. “He’s a proper horse. He won for Emmet Mullins off a mark in the 50s and we asked him if he was for sale and he said he was. “I can see why he sold him because he shows absolutely nothing at home, but I love those type of horses that do it on the track. “He’s in the John Smith’s Cup, but we’ll probably wait and look at the Melrose. “I don’t think he’ll go anywhere unless there’s juice in the ground, though.”
