Trainer’s tribute to tragic Shishkin
NICKY Henderson has paid an emotional tribute to Shishkin after his untimely death due to an injury incurred in his stable.
The gelding’s star started to rise during his hurdling career, which peaked with a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victory at the Cheltenham Festival in 2020.
He was then an instant success as a chaser, collecting seven wins in a row, including the Arkle, the Maghull and the Desert Orchid Chase, as well as a memorable Clarence House win following a duel with Energumene.
That winning streak, which ran to ten races if his late hurdles form is included, came to an end eventually, but the gelding still continued to show flashes of complete brilliance.
He won the Ascot Chase by 16 lengths last year and the Bowl at Aintree when stepping up in trip, and despite refusing to race on his return to the former track for the 1965 Chase, he then looked the likely winner of the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day before stumbling with the race at his mercy. His final success came in the Denman Chase at Newbury in February, after which his Cheltenham Gold Cup bid was scuppered by a poor scope and he chased home Gerri Colombe to finish fourth at Aintree this month.
Shishkin was due to run in Wednesday’s Punchestown Gold Cup, but fractured a hind leg after being cast in his box on Sunday and could not be saved.
“It was horrendous, to be honest with you, he just didn’t deserve that,” Henderson revealed.
“There was nothing we could do. We had an army of vets and the best people in the world but they couldn’t repair it, I’m afraid. It’s just tragic, but everyone has been remarkable and you just have to appreciate how popular a horse can become.”
Henderson nominated his 12length Arkle victory as a particular highlight, but rated his epic battle with Energumene as the peak of Shishkin’s career.
He said: “He won six Grade Ones, it should have been seven, as he should have won the King George really and I believe he would have done. One of his greatest days was when he won the Arkle, he was brilliant, but Energumene at Ascot in the Clarence House was probably his greatest race, because he had to fight very hard that day.
“We were all set for Cheltenham and he couldn’t go there, we were just really looking forward to Punchestown and he was due to leave this (yesterday) morning.
“He was a beautiful horse, earlier in the season we sent him off to Zara Tindall to do some dressage to keep him amused and they adored him over there too – he could have done anything. He was lovely, he was a very gentle (character) too – he was very kind.”
Today’s scheduled meeting at Nottingham has been called off due to a waterlogged course.
The Colwick Park track took 38mm of rain yesterday and Sunday, leaving course officials to inspect – and the news was not good.
“Standing water and waterlogged ground” meant that abandonment was the only option.