Super Shishkin shines on step up to three miles

Exciting options will be open to Nicky Henderson’s star next season.

The King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup could be among Shishkin’s targets next season after the top-class chaser kicked in the turbo to secure the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl.

Nicky Henderson’s charge earned superstar status by winning his first 10 completed starts over obstacles, a run which included successive victories at the Cheltenham Festival and three Grade Ones.

The wheels came off in last season’s Champion Chase, with Henderson putting his abject performance on desperate ground down to a rare bone condition, while a fairly uninspiring start to the current campaign in the Tingle Creek at Sandown suggested his best days may be behind him.

Not for the first time, however, Henderson weaved his magic, getting Shishkin back to something like his best when stepped up in trip for February’s Ascot Chase, after which he did remarkably well to finish second in last month’s Ryanair after a performance lacking much zest.

The Seven Barrows handler felt the time had come for his former star two-miler over three miles and he was the 7-4 favourite to successfully graduate to the staying trip on Merseyside.

Once again it was not entirely plain sailing, with Nico de Boinville having to get lower in the saddle on a couple of occasions while Ahoy Senor attempted to make all under Brian Hughes.

Nico de Boinville celebrates Shishkin's Aintree success
Nico de Boinville celebrates Shishkin’s Aintree success (Mike Egerton/PA)

The latter looked likely to prevail after drawing clear between the final two fences, but as has been the case on a few occasions over the years, Shishkin saved his best for late in the day, thrusting home on the run-in to get up and beat Ahoy Senor by a length and a half.

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