Henderson eyes Fighting Fifth for Shishkin run-out
NICKY HENDERSON is considering running Shishkin in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown next Saturday.
The Seven Barrows handler is eager to get a King George VI Chase prep run into his multiple Grade One scorer, after refusing to race at Ascot in the 1965 Chase and also seeing a planned run in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle lost to the weather.
A lack of options over fences has now seen Henderson toy with the idea of reverting Shishkin to the smaller obstacles, as well as dropping back to two miles, for the rearranged Grade One that reopens tomorrow.
That would of course pave the way for Constitution Hill – who also missed out on an outing at Newcastle – to head straight to Kempton on St Stephen’s Day for the Christmas Hurdle, though the trainer is yet to finalise plans with owner Michael Buckley.
‘Michael is coming down here and we will talk and we have to consider the timing,’ said Henderson, speaking at Newbury.
‘Shishkin was the horse I really wanted to run, I cannot believe he would win a King George first time out.
‘He’s got to try to have a run and I have a little idea. He might have to come and have a run over hurdles because there are no chases to run in. Three miles would be too far in what might be hard work ground and I’m thinking of coming back into the Fighting Fifth because that reopens on Monday.
‘I wouldn’t worry about Constitution Hill first time out.
‘There are lots of bits of jigsaw floating around and it is very good the Fighting Fifth does come back to Sandown.
‘I need to speak to Michael. Constitution Hill doesn’t need a run to be ready for the Christmas Hurdle and is that more important than this, I don’t know? Seventeen days is tight for Constitution, but I wouldn’t be so worried about Shishkin funnily enough.’
Both horses were left with the prospect of no stabling after their trip to Newcastle was abandoned on Friday.
However, Henderson revealed he was inundated with offers after an appeal on television, with the high-class duo eventually bunkering down at Doncaster overnight.