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Tashkhan to state Gold Cup case

Tashkhan can enhance his Ascot Gold Cup claims by landing the Longines Sagaro Stakes at the Berkshire track on Wednesday.

Trainer : Brian Ellison
Trainer : Brian Ellison Picture: Alan Crowhurst/ Getty Images

Brian Ellison's four-year-old impressed in defeat by Trueshan over the same two-mile distance on his last visit in October, going down by length and a half in the British Champions Long Distance Cup, where he had three-times Gold Cup winner Stradivarius behind in third.

While that run came in good to soft ground, he is capable on a faster surface, which he is likely to encounter on this occasion.

He won on his first outing last season and following a six-month break, makes his return against six rivals – who have all had a run this term – in a modest renewal of the Group Three contest.

On official ratings, he is 3lb superior to his nearest rival and if he is fit enough, he should be good enough to gain a fourth career success.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Go Bears Go makes his seasonal debut in the Merriebelle Stables Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes, registered as the Pavilion Stakes.

David Loughnane's charge beat Castle Star in the Group Two Railway Stakes last season, before finishing third behind Ebro River – again ahead of Castle Star – in the Phoenix Stakes.

Go Bears Go has shown a liking for the track, winning on his novice debut last May before finishing runner-up in the Group Two Norfolk Stakes at the Royal meeting, and could take the beating in the six-furlong Group Three contest.

Valiant Prince can complete a hat-trick for Charlie Appleby in the Paradise Stakes, a trial for the Queen Anne Stakes.

The gelded son of Dubawi won two decent mile handicaps at Meydan earlier this year and takes on three rivals in the Listed event run over a similar trip.

Though both of those wins came on an artificial surface, this decent ground should hold no fears and the stable is in outstanding form, with a 50 per cent strike rate over the last two weeks.

After two all-weather spins, Red Kite has been found a great opportunity to get off the mark for Charlie and Mark Johnston in the Read Kevin Blake On Attheraces.com Restricted Maiden Stakes at Brighton, and the yard may well strike with Mackenzie Rose, who can open her account following a series of near misses last season in the Join Racing TV Handicap at Musselburgh.

Gulmarg has been working well for Sean Woods and can strike at the first time of asking in the five-furlong Northern Commercials Iveco 'S' Way Novice Stakes at Pontefract.

On the same card, former Sir Michael Stoute inmate Al Baahy can put his experience to good use and get off the mark at the first time of asking for trainer Kevin Frost in the Trustees Of The National Horseracing College/British EBF Maiden Stakes.

The second day of the Punchestown Festival could again be another bonanza for Willie Mullins, with Minella Cocooner taken to reverse Cheltenham's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle placings with stablemate The Nice Guy in the Grade One Irish Mirror Novices' Hurdle.

The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup sees Clan Des Obeaux taking on a stiff contingent from the Mullins yard in his defence of the title.

Mullins fields five of the nine runners and Allaho can land the Grade One event as he steps up to three miles for the first time since a fourth-place finish to Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard in the Savills Chase in December 2020.

He has developed into a major force over intermediate chasing distances as shown when running away with the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month.

SELECTIONS:

ASCOT: 1.50 Tahitian Prince, 2.25 Dayyan, 3.00 Mukaddamah, 3.35 Tashkhan, 4.10 GO BEARS GO (NAP), 4.40 Valiant Prince, 5.10 Yazaman.

BRIGHTON: 4.25 Taaqat, 5.00 Land Of Summer, 5.35 Roxzoff, 6.05 Red Kite, 6.40 Miss Tiki, 7.15 Beau Geste, 7.50 Essme.

MUSSELBURGH: 5.05 Princess Karine, 5.40 Mackenzie Rose, 6.15 Listen Again, 6.50 Panama City, 7.25 The Gloaming, 7.55 Brazen Akoya, 8.25 Three Castles.

PONTEFRACT: 2.00 King Of Tonga, 2.35 Gulmarg, 3.10 Bookmark, 3.50 Eilean Dubh, 4.21 Skittlebomz, 4.55 Al Baahy, 5.30 Amalfi Salsa.

PUNCHESTOWN: 3.40 Limerick Lace, 4.15 Freedom To Dream, 4.45 Fils D'oudairies, 5.20 Minella Cocooner, 5.55 Allaho, 6.30 American Mike, 7.05 Ciel De Neige, 7.45 Hi Stranger.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 1.05 Frame Rate, 1.35 Bondi Man, 2.10 Najeeba, 2.45 Sense Of Security, 3.20 True Jem, 4.00 Tilsworth Ony Ta, 4.30 Light Lily.

 


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