Shishkin 15/2 for Sky Bet Supreme after Newbury win
Shishkin earned a 15/2 quote from the sponsors (non-runner/no bet) for the Sky Bet Supreme at Cheltenham with a scintillating victory at Newbury on Wednesday.
Nicky Henderson's charge carries the colours of Joe Donnelly, owner of Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, and he produced a sparkling turn of foot to win the MansionBet Proud To Sponsor British Racing Novices' Hurdle by 11 lengths.
It was a completely different story to his hurdling debut here when he fell at the second flight and the trainer said: "He is smart. It was just unfortunate what happened here first time. As Nico (De Boinville) said, it was liked he learned something - he was quite gassy then and he was trying to take the world on, as he is enthusiastic as well.
"Today he was just beautifully relaxed and never touched a hurdle. I think to do that in that ground was good, as not many horses quicken out of that, so you would have to be impressed. He has got gears."
Assessing Shishkin's future plans, Henderson hinted a step up to two and a half miles could be on the cards.
He said: "You'd better think about the Ballymore as well, as I won't promise it will be the Supreme as Nico thought another half a mile might help him. I would like another run.
"It's experience that I want and I wouldn't be frightened of finding a nice little race. That would do well (the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon). Timing is about right from mid-Jan to mid-Feb to March, I would think."
He's 10/1 with Sky Bet (NRNB) for the Ballymore.
Bond's Lover (10-1) provided Henderson and De Boinville with further success, grinding out victory by a neck to make her debut under rules a winning one in the British EBF Mares' "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.
Henderson said: "She has been in Ireland a long time growing and had one run in a point-to-point last year. I'm not surprised she went in the ground, but I'm surprised she won as she was a wild child when she arrived."
