SHISHKIN (2.55) can put his Cheltenham Festival failure behind him and get back his otherwise outstanding career back on the right path by winning the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday.
Back in March he was sent off the odds-on favourite to complete a Festival hat-trick the Queen Mother Champion Chase and take his place as the heir to Sprinter Sacre and Altior, his stable’s two previous superstars of the division.
Yet he was never travelling with any purpose and was pulled up after eight fences to suffer his first defeat under rules. On the day Nicky Henderson blamed the soft ground but a rare bone condition which caused intermittent lameness was subsequently diagnosed.
After an impressive success in the Haldon Gold Cup, the claims of last year’s Tingle Creek winner Greaneteen are rightly being touted but an on song Shishkin, who beat that rival by ten lengths last Christmas, should still prove too good.
Henderson already has a succession plan in place behind Shishkin with JONBON (1.45), the brother of Douvan, lined up as his likely Arkle Trophy candidate. Beaten only once, and that was by none other than Constitution Hill, he should have little trouble continuing his transition to chasing in the Grade 1 Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.
HOMME PUBLIC (2.20) made a winning start for the new training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero at Wetherby last month. He has been raised another 7lb by Toby Wynne takes 5lb off which may be enough to complete a hat-trick at Sandown.
Neil Mulholland is always a trainer to follow in the London National and he runs another likely sort in PLANNED PARADISE (3.30) for a race he has saddled two winners, a second and fourth in the last six years.
At Aintree AHOY SENOR (1.30) has another chance to get his campaign under way in the Grade 2 Boylesports Many Clouds Chase.
Last season’s joint top staying novice chaser was a major disappointment in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby were he raced too free in the early stages and dropped away to finish last of five behind Bravemansgame.
He will need to bounce right back, in a field containing the Grand National winner Noble Yeats, to justify Cheltenham Gold Cup aspirations and should be given a second chance.
ELVIS MAIL (2.40) seemed to have benefitted from a break from chasing when running out a comfortable winner Ayr in October, his first run over fences for nearly a year. He faces stiffer company this time but can cope considering he took on Shishkin on his last run over fences at Aintree.
BENSON (2.15) changed hands over the summer and the switch to Sandy Thomson appears to have produced a revival. He has defied appearances by running on late when seemingly beaten on his last two runs and the move up to 2m4f plus the booking of champion jockey Brian Hughes can pay dividends.
Saturday Tips
WETHERBY
11.40 GOSHHOWPOSH
12.13 WILLIAM CODY
12.48 HAPPY HOLLOW
1.23 CHIRICO VALLIS
1.58 KELLAHEN
2.33 TREVELYN’S CORN
3.08 WHOZATGIRL
AINTREE
11.45 ETALON
12.20 BOBALOT
12.55 ISALINE DE CHANDOU
1.30 AHOY SENOR
2.05 ASHTOWN LAD
2.40 ELVIS MAIL
3.15 BENSON
CHEPSTOW
11.53 GRACE A VOUS ENKI
12.27 GALUDON
1.02 DALAMAI
1.37 FARINET
2.12 MANOFTHEPEOPLE (NAP)
2.47 KNOWSLEY ROAD
3.22 MARVELLOUS MICK
SANDOWN
12.00 AUTHORISED SPEED (NB)
12.35 WHITEHOTCHILLIFILI
1.10 SCARPIA
1.45 JONBON
2.20 HOMME PUBLIC
2.55 SHISHKIN
3.30 PLANNED PARADISE
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.20 MOTAWAAFEQ
5.50 CLOUD ANGEL
6.20 HIGH VELOCITY
6.50 LOOKING FOR LYNDA
7.20 KING OF THE SOUTH
7.50 SUNSTONE
8.20 QUEEN OF IPANEMA
FAIRYHOUSE
11.35 MINELLA CROONER
12.07 HALSAFARI
12.42 FAN DE BLUES
1.17 HARTUR D’ARC
1.52 FACILE VEGA
2.27 SPIRIT OF LEGEND
3.02 EXPLOSIVE BOY
3.35 STELLAR STORY
