We were absolutely over the moon with our two winners at Chester on Saturday and it was fantastic to see TASHKHAN in the winner’s enclosure again.
TASHKHAN (pic at home with Andy) put in a gutsy performance under top weight (9st12lbs) to land the Watergate Cup Handicap (2m2½f) by a length at Chester on Saturday (30 September 2023).
Ben (Robinson) was on board Patrick Boyles five-year-old who relished the rain-softened ground and said afterwards in an interview with David Carr for the Racing Post: “We were going quite quick and I knew on that ground he’d get the trip really well. Coming inside the final furlong I always had the leader (eventual second horse home, Emiyn) covered.
“He loves this sort of ground. It’s the first time all year he’s had it bottomless and he’s won nicely. That’s the first time I’ve won on the horse as he’s always been pitched in the deep end in Group races, so I’m delighted.”
Brian added: “He’s a star. The rain came and that’s all he wanted. Fast ground is no good to him.
“That just shows you how good he is. I know he hadn’t won for two years but he’s had some hard races.
“There are three races he could go for now. He’s in the Cesarewitch, the Long-Distance Cup on Champions Day and the Royal-Oak and he’ll go wherever the ground is right.”
Tashkhan was winning for the first time since successful at Haydock in July 2021, however he has run some cracking races in defeat in Group company with Saturdays winnings taking his total prize money earned to £324,444.
The rain continued to come down at Chester and by the time RAMIRO went to post in the seven-furlong Restaurant 1539 Handicap just over two hours later the going description had changed to heavy. Ramiro absolutely loved the testing conditions and despite being slowly away from a wide draw under Joe Fanning he was soon travelling nicely. Switched quite wide turning in he stayed on strongly to lead close home, the winning margin three-parts of a length.
A welcome winner for our Racing Club and delighted to see him in the winners enclosure for the second time this season.
Congratulations to Patrick and Andrea Boyle and to all our Racing Club members. A fabulous day for everyone!
