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Nicky Henderson has all but ruled Shishkin out of the Cheltenham Boodles Gold Cup, staying in favor of a shorter trip than the Ryanair Chase for his rejuvenated superstar.
The Seven Barrows trainer was an emotional spectator as any doubts about the nine-year-old’s return to fame were dispelled with an outstanding display in the Betfair Ascot Chase on Saturday, where he tried two miles and five furlongs for the first time under rules. .
The Joe Donnelly-owned gelding crushed Energumene in the Clarence House Chase at the same track last time out, but has since disappointed in the Champion Chase and Tingle Creek this season.
However, some of the physical problems have come to light, he was diagnosed with a rare bone condition in the wake of Chase Chase and then “ceiling flipped” delaying the move up in the distance after Tingle Creek.
However, as he had done with Sprinter Sacre six years ago, Henderson brought Shishkin back from the brink and the great joy that the handler had after the 16-length defeat of Pic D’Orhy.
Although Shishkin is cut to 8-1 for the Gold Cup by Paddy Power, Henderson feels the two-and-a-half-mile Ryanair Chase on March 16, the 11/10 favorite with the same company. , that’s the only option.
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Trainer Nicky Henderson will not back down on his journey to the Champion Chase after Shishkin’s Ascot Chase victory, with Sky Sports Racing’s Matt Chapman admitting he made a mistake.
“I don’t think we’ll ever go to Ryanair, but there’s no way to find out,” Henderson said. “The way I want it, in a perfect, perfect world – and with horses it’s not easy to go very far, about 24 hours or so until you dare to look ahead – but in a perfect world, you’ll go. Ryanair, then three miles at Aintree .
“Then it will tell us what to do next year. It will tell you whether to go to the Betfair Chase or the King George VI Chase, or stay at two and a half (miles). At two and a half, you are a bit restricted .”
Although last season’s Ryanair Chase winner Allaho will miss the race due to stomach bleeding, Henderson said his absence did not affect his decision to skip the Gold Cup.
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Sky Sports Racing Matt Chapman has twice in the view that Shishkin is more than two miles, but Sean Boyce believes that he should have stepped up to the Gold Cup trip.
He added: “Ryanair is still a high-class race and should not be avoided.
“He definitely wouldn’t come back until two (miles), so I can’t believe we have to go until three and a quarter.
“Getting on the trip makes a huge difference. It’s as simple as that. Maybe they’ll stay three and a quarter, but you’ve got Ryanair available to you.
“One knows that Allaho is not there, but we will not go there because of that. I would think that we would still go through the route even if he was there. That is what we have to do.
“We like him and he was 100 percent this morning.”
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