Cheltenham Festival: ‘Nothing obvious’ as Henderson continues Shishkin checks with Celebration Chase the target
The star chaser was a bitter disappointment, being pulled up in the soft ground at Cheltenham last week; the race was eventually won by Energumene for Willie Mullins; Nicky Henderson is expected to send Shishkin to Sandown next month
Wednesday 23 March 2022 16:33, UK
Shishkin is expected to put his Cheltenham disappointment behind him with an outing in the Celebration Chase on the final day of the season at Sandown.
Aside from the very testing ground, Nicky Henderson is still none the wiser as to why his previously unbeaten chaser looked in trouble from an early stage and was pulled up shortly after the eighth fence in last week's Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Tests are still being carried out, but nothing has come to light and the eight-year-old looks his usual bright self at home.
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"There are little bits and pieces we are still checking out," said Henderson.
"He just never went a yard. There's nothing completely obvious that is wrong but there was clearly something which wasn't right, so we're still checking on everything.
"He looks bright in himself but there's nothing obvious. I don't see any reason why he won't make Sandown, anyway."
Shishkin was one of very few disappointments during the Festival for Henderson, who saddled two winners and six seconds during the week.
"Everything else ran fantastically well, we had six seconds and had another load placed," said Henderson.
"The one that got away was possibly Mister Coffey (Kim Muir). He was my sort of dark horse for the week and I'd been tipping him up at all the previews and it so nearly paid off.
"First Street (County Hurdle) ran a hell of a race, Marie's Rock (Mares' Hurdle) was brilliant, Epatante (Champion Hurdle) ran really well - they ran great across the board.
"We're looking at Aintree for Epatante, we've never tried two and half (miles) with her.
"As for Champ, I'd like to keep him on a flat track. I'm not sure Cheltenham's suiting him at the moment. It's just an idea, we're in discussions. He travelled very well in the Stayers'. We've a few things to sort out with a few of them."
