Betfair Denman Chase report and replay: Shishkin back to winning ways
By David Ord
10:46 · SUN February 11, 2024
Shishkin returned to winning ways with an ultimately dominant display in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury.
After he refused to jump off on his intended reappearance at Ascot and then stumbled and unseated Nico De Boinville when in front two out in the King George on Boxing Day, connections will have been pleased with a relatively routine afternoon.
He needed chasing along before the home turn as the freewheeling Protektorat led the field but he was alongside – and past – that rival going to the second last.
The strong-travelling Hitman fleetingly looked a danger but De Boinville kept the 8/11 favourite up to his work and he drew clear to score by a widening four-and-a-quarter lengths.
Sky Bet cut the winner to 7/1 from 8s for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. Paddy Power are unchanged at the same price. Betfair are 8/1.
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"He galloped to the line. I had to keep him interested and that's the key, make him a happy horse," the winner rider told ITV Racing.
When asked if he thinks Shishkin will stay the extra two furlongs next month, the rider added: "Definitely. I think he'll come on for it again. What we saw today was just a stepping stone to the Gold Cup."
Henderson added: "I think that was a relief but it's not been his fault really. Ascot probably was, you must admit, but Kempton certainly was not his fault unless he kicked himself on the leg on purpose. That was his first full run since Aintree last year and he actually had a good blow afterwards, I think Nico thought that will do him a lot of good - it will do us all a lot of good.
"He's good, he jumped very well and needed it more than anything else which is why we had to do it, regardless of the ground, although it's not anywhere near as bad as I suspect we all feared it might be after all that rain. It felt like it was going to be horrible today but it's not."
When asked about the Gold Cup the trainer added: "It has to be where we go, there's nowhere else to go. That's where we are and that's what he is. I don't think three-and-a-quarter miles is going to frighten him and hopefully we have the starting bug out of our head. He was faultless there, even better than he was at Kempton.
"We're in control of him now, which is the great thing. He's behaving our way, not his. He's like that, a character, and we just have to crack on and give it a go. He has a chance - of course he has - and I don't see any point in not running.
"I was impressed by Galopin Des Champs last week but after that I think there's an opening and the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup and you've got to give it a go. I think he justifies that. He could possibly have won the King George, that would have put him in the picture, this has put him in the picture, so let's go."
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