Shishkin, one of the most talented and popular steeplechasers of recent years, has died after suffering an injury at Nicky Henderson’s stable in Lambourn.
The 10-year-old was found to have suffered a fracture to a hind leg after being cast in his box on Sunday evening.
He had been due to travel to Ireland on Monday morning for a much-anticipated meeting with Galopin Des Champs, the winner of the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival last month, in Wednesday’s Punchestown Gold Cup.
Henderson said in a post on X on Sunday evening that everyone at his Seven Barrows stable was “obviously devastated that such a great horse, friend and warrior has gone”.
The trainer added: “He was an absolute superstar and his CV is testament to that – except the King George [at Kempton on Boxing Day] is not in it [he was an unseated rider when clear in the 2023 renewal] even though we believe it should have been.”
Shishkin fell on his debut over hurdles at Newbury in December 2019 but then ran up a 10-race winning streak that included victories in the Supreme Novice Hurdle and Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
We have some very sad news to break this evening regarding Shishkin. pic.twitter.com/RZScNQ3NFG
— Nicky Henderson (@sevenbarrows) April 28, 2024
Perhaps his finest hour, though, came in a much-anticipated meeting with Energumene, Ireland’s top two-mile chaser, in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January 2022. Shishkin had two lengths to find with Energumene jumping the last but stayed on strongly all the way to the line to win by a length.
“The Supreme Novice Hurdle and the Arkle were his Cheltenham highlights, but the battle with Energumene in the Clarence House at Ascot was probably the greatest,” Henderson said.
“This is a very sad night. He was our star and we will never forget him. Thank you Shishkin for the wonderful memories.”
