ParisLongchamp Sunday

2.50 Prix Royal-Oak (Group 1) (3yo+) 1m 7f 110y.

Yorkshire-based Brian Ellison is in line to grab the most prestigious victory of his 34 years with a trainers’ licence when he saddles Tashkhan in the 11-runner Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp tomorrow.

Now 61 years of age, former National Hunt jockey Ellison has known some big days with his jumpers, even landing a Grade 1 hurdle with Marsh Warbler, and has handled some classy flat horses too, but this would be his first Group 1 triumph.

Tashkhan demonstrated that he is in the form of his life when carrying top-weight into third place in a hugely competitive renewal of the Cesarewitch at Newmarket two weeks ago and, with the recent wet spell likely to continue and ensure that this Born To Sea gelding will be racing on his favoured testing ground, he is taken to see off another mudlark, Haya Zark, and scoop the €200,000 first prize.

Tashkhan has made incredible progress since he got off the mark at Navan off a handicap mark of just 57 when trained by Emmet Mullins back in March 2021.

Having joined Ellison soon after, he hinted in October of that year that he was worthy of a place in the best staying races when finishing a superb second behind Trueshan in an Ascot Group 2.

He has taken a long time to return to that level, but that Newmarket run and an earlier Chester handicap success suggested that he has finally done just that.

Haya Zark’s stamina for this mile, seven furlong and 110yards trip is unknown, but he goes particularly well in the wet and, as a dual Group 3 winner, has a touch of class.

While devoid of Irish participation, the field does include two more cross-channel challengers in the Harry Fry-trained Metier and James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend.

Metier has always been inconsistent, though highly talented, over hurdles, but Fry seems to have come to the conclusion that he is more suited to flat racing and he should go well on his first start since landing the Chester Cup in the spring, though his British handicap mark is 10lb lower than Tashkhan’s.

Novel Legend is rated 3lb lower still and is yet to prove that he is effective on ground as soft as Paris is likely to produce.

Of the others, The Good Man is a Group 2 scorer this season who has been kept fresh for this since August but is yet to win in five attempts on heavy ground, while the dual Group 2 hero Bubble Gift has not won a race for over two years and the solitary three-year-old, Double Major, probably owed his own Group 2 success, in the Prix Chaudenay on fast ground four weeks ago, to getting first run on the other leading fancies that day.

SELECTION: TASHKHAN

Next Best: Haya Zark