Brian Ellison is looking forward to getting Tashkhan back on some soft ground when he lines up in the Qatar Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp on Saturday.
The four-year-old's best form is with cut in the ground, but one of the driest summers on record has forced the Spring Cottage inmate to compete on an unsuitable surface throughout the current campaign.
Despite conditions not being in his favour, Tashkhan has shown plenty of tenacity to be beaten only three lengths in the Yorkshire Cup and a battling fifth in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot when only five lengths adrift of the new staying superpower Kyprios.
Now the gelding is tasked with overcoming that deficit in the French capital, where the consistent rain forecast is giving Ellison hope Tashkhan can return to the form of his second behind Trueshan in last year's Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
"If it's on the soft side it will be the best ground he's ran on all year," said Ellison.
"It's been far too quick and he won't run on ground like he's had this year again.
"He just doesn't like it, he hated York, York was far too quick for him (when well beaten in the Lonsdale Cup). He was never happy on it. He just came back and told us don't run me on that ground again.
"He only got beat five lengths in the Gold Cup, but the trouble is if you keep doing it (running on fast ground) you'll sicken him. But at the moment he's fine, he's in good fettle with himself, he's fit and well and hopefully the more rain the better."
