Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin will head to the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury on Saturday afternoon and the Seven Barrows inmate will be looking to bounce back to winning ways and duly book his place in next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The legendary National Hunt star was last seen unseating Nico de Boinville at the second last fence in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day when the race appeared to be at his mercy, but the ten-year-old will be hoping he can put in a clear round this weekend and claim another notable victory.
It’s been an indifferent campaign for the former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle Challenge Trophy winner as on his comeback start he refused to race in the 1965 Chase at Ascot, while his late tumble in the King George continued his bad luck this campaign, so the Henderson team will be hoping for a more positive result this week.
A top two-mile chaser at his best, Shishkin was runner-up in last season’s Ryanair Chase over 2m 5f at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, but he showed when storming to victory in the Bowl at Aintree over three miles that he needs more of a trip these days and the Cheltenham Gold Cup has been on the agenda for this campaign.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup betting is dominated by reigning champion Galopin Des Champs, who cemented his place at the summit with a fine victory in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last weekend, but Shishkin is a real class act on his day and he will be one of the leading contenders for the UK trainers at this season’s Gold Cup, which takes place on Friday 15th March.
Available at a best-priced 10/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, at the time of writing, Shishkin’s price could plummet significantly should he beat the likes of Protektorat and Hitman, who are set to line up against him at Newbury on Saturday. However, all the Henderson team will want is for one of their stable stars to put in a clear round and come through unscathed before a tilt at next month’s blue riband event at the Cheltenham Festival.