Ascot Chase live on Sky Sports Racing: Shishkin, Fakir d'Oudairies and Pic D'orhy set to clash in Grade One feature
Defending champion Fakir d'Oudairies faces five rivals, including four-time Grade One winner Shishkin, in Saturday's Ascot Chase, live on Sky Sports Racing; Paul Nicholls steps Pic D'orhy up to top level after Silvianaco Conti victory last time
Thursday 16 February 2023 12:12, UK
Shishkin will face five rivals as he steps up in trip for Saturday's Betfair Ascot Chase, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Nicky Henderson's nine-year-old was unbeaten in his first seven starts over fences, winning up to two and a quarter miles, but he was pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last year's Cheltenham Festival and trailed home a distant third behind Edwardstone on his Tingle Creek return in December.
That performance has prompted Henderson to move up to two miles and five furlongs this weekend, with Shishkin a three-mile point to point winner in his younger days.
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Shishkin faces a stern test on his first start since undergoing wind surgery, with last year's winner Fakir d'Oudairies defending his title for Joseph O'Brien after returning to winning form in a Thurles Grade Two last time out.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls fields Pic D'orhy, who has won each of his three starts this term, including Grade Two's at Huntingdon and Kempton.
First Flow, winner of the race in 2021, represents Kim Bailey with Aye Right for Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford, plus Alex Hales' Millers Bank completing the line-up.
Donald McCain's Minella Drama was the only horse not declared.
'Fakir d'Oudairies the one to beat' - what key connections have said
Nicky Henderson, trainer of Shishkin...
"He's in good form but is a hard horse to gauge because he's not a brilliant work horse. Nico [De Boinville, jockey] rode him on Saturday and was very happy.
"We've got to hope the ground is alright at Ascot, that'd be my only concern.
"We've had to tinker with his palate but that should help him. I'd be surprised if it doesn't.
"He fights and he stays but I'm hoping in a race like this that he'll be able to travel at his own pace. If I've got it wrong then we'll have to supplement him in the Champion Chase!"
Paul Nicholls, trainer of Pic D'orhy...
"He's a big, strong horse and has only just about got to full maturity, is quite assured with his jumping now and is just in a good place.
"He's always been a bit light but he's just starting to fill out. He just needed that time to bring out his best and hopefully we're there now. He's just got to up his game a little bit because it's a Grade One but he's won on the track and he'll love the ground.
"Fakir d'Oudairies I think is the one to beat and Shishkin has plenty to prove but if he comes back to his best he's obviously very smart.
"All in all, it's a very interesting race."
