Shishkin© Photo Healy Racing
Shishkin “will have to earn” a third Cheltenham Festival success in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.
The former Supreme and Arkle winner was odds-on for the Queen Mother Champion Chase last season, but was never travelling on very soft ground and was pulled up early in the contest.
He was subsequently diagnosed with a rare bone condition and his career looked to be under threat when he was beaten 15 lengths by Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek.
Nicky Henderson then opted to step up in trip, a decision which proved inspired as Shishkin powered clear to take the Ascot Chase by 16 lengths.
“We knew he was ready, but that was still a bit of a relief, to be honest,” said Henderson. “He’s obviously a very high-class horse, but he has had his problems which are well-documented and he has been given all the time he needed to get him back.
“We’ve always thought he would get further and it was lovely to see him do it like he did at Ascot and while we know it was just a few weeks ago, he has taken it in his stride.
“He goes there in good shape, Nico (de Boinville) has been very happy with him, but Willie (Mullins) has a strong team and he’ll have to earn it. Nothing comes easy at Cheltenham.”
Shishkin takes on eight rivals in the two-mile-five-furlong contest and in what looks a stern examination, Blue Lord spearheads a Closutton assault that also comprises Chacun Pour Soi and Janidil
Blue Lord has similarly has done much of his racing over shorter trips and bids to give Mullins a fourth successive victory in the race.
A dual Grade One-winning novice, Blue Lord won at Clonmel on his seasonal return and followed up in a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas, but he was upset when long odds-on by Gentleman De Mee at the same track last month.
Anthony Bromley, racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “He has done most of his racing at two miles, but has always looked like he would improve for a longer trip.
“He has a bit to take on with the hot favourite. Although he has only run once over this sort of trip, when winning at Clonmel in soft ground, he is a horse who has been crying out for a longer trip and now he seems to settle a bit better, it always seemed the right idea to go for the Ryanair as opposed to the Champion Chase.
“He does have a very hot favourite to take on, but he takes his chance and we’re hopeful he will run well.” Fury Road was a top-class winner as a novice and has been placed in his last two Grade Ones, latterly when third to Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
Owned by Ryanair and Gigginstown House Stud boss Michael O’Leary, trainer Gordon Elliott would dearly love to secure victory in the race for the first time with the nine-year-old.
Elliott said: “He ran a very good race in Leopardstown, I think the trip will suit him and I think his jumping is very good.
“If you paused it at the last fence in the Irish Gold Cup, if you’d backed the favourite at a short price you’d have been sweating.
“I thought it was a great prep and he goes to the Ryanair with a great each-way chance.
“With Allaho coming out it’s opened up and it’s there to be won.”
Paul Nicholls has won this race three times, most recently in 2019 with Frodon and he saddles Hitman who will be equipped with cheekpieces for the first time, having been pulled up in the King George before finishing a seven-length runner-up to Zanza in the Denman Chase at Newbury.
“I’ve always thought he had a big race in him but he has been a bit frustrating, didn’t jump well in the King George and then didn’t quite get home last time over three miles at Newbury on ground that was a bit quicker than he likes,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“Yet he is still a young horse, only just six and hasn’t reached full maturity yet, and I’m sure there is better to come over this trip.
“I’m putting cheekpieces on Hitman, I’ve saved them for this day, and if they the same effect on him as they did on Il Ridoto in January then we are in business.
“If Shishkin repeats the form of his recent Ascot win, then we are all running for places. But that was only 26 days ago and there is a question mark that he had a hard race that day.”
