HENDO’S LION KIN’
Reinvented Shishkin now on course for the Ryanair
NICKY HENDERSON declared: “We’ve got the old Shishkin back!” as his once-great two-miler reinvented himself with an imperious triumph in the Betfair Ascot Chase.
Having made his name at National Hunt racing’s minimum distance with four victories at the highest level, Shishkin suffered his first defeat over fences when pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last March.
The flop was excused due to a rare bone disorder but, when the nine-year-old reappeared with a laboured third in the two-mile Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in December, Henderson (right) set his mind on a change of course.
The master of Seven Barrows resolved to test
Shishkin’s stamina over an additional five furlongs, while vets cauterised the gelding’s palate to aid his breathing.
And the plan worked perfectly as Nico de Boinville oozed confidence before sending Shishkin past Pic D’orhy at the second-last fence en route to a 16-length victory with defending champion Fakir D’oudairies a further seven lengths back in third.
“We’ve changed a lot of things and today was the crossroads – has he still got a future at the top table?” said Henderson.
“The important thing was upping the trip. That was the one thing that I was confident was going to help him. “Cheltenham went all wrong, the Tingle Creek they went too quick for him. There was only one thing to do.
“I can’t tell you what a relief it is. You’ve very lucky to get these good horses and, when it does go right and you get them back, it’s extra special.”
De Boinville added: “I said to the guv’nor, ‘We’ll know our fate after the first two.’
“And so it proved. Just going half a stride slower definitely helped him. He was able to jump and travel and latch onto the bridle, which he hasn’t been doing over two miles. “He felt a different horse.” The success saw Shishkin cut to 5-4 favourite with Ladbrokes for the Ryanair Chase, run over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham on March 16.
Henderson added: “It’s odds on the Ryanair now. Today was everything. If he didn’t show today, we had to say, ‘We had a good horse, but we haven’t got one any more.’
“But today we can say, ‘We still have a very good horse.’”