Henderson has plenty to consider, as big guns oblige at Aintree

Nick Robson
April 13, 2023 5:38 pm

Constitution Hill and Shishkin fly the flag for Seven Barrows on day one of National meeting.

Nicky Henderson’s two stable stars both won their sixth Grade Ones at Aintree on Thursday. But it is fair to say in rather different circumstances.

While Constitution Hill’s cruise to victory in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle went according to plan, Shishkin’s game success in the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl was – like his season as a whole – far from straightforward.

Nevertheless, it will have been a relief to the master of Seven Barrows that Shishkin is ending his campaign on a winning note given how it started in the Tingle Creek, and if anything he looked as if the Gold Cup distance will be well within his compass.

As for Constitution Hill, what is there left to say? The result was never in doubt, we already know there is not another hurdler in training capable of getting him off the bridle. How he is campaigned next term at least gives us something to dream about.

There are plenty who would love to see Henderson and owner Michael Buckley give him the chance to emulate the great mare Dawn Run, the only horse who has won the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. However, they would surely be passing up the chance to win multiple Champion Hurdles, and who can blame them if they are tempted by that?

“You can do anything you like with him, people questioned whether he would stay two and a half miles, he’ll stay any miles you like and you can go to the front or you can go to the back,” said Henderson.

“Nobody else was going to go on today so what was the point messing about, he may as well just get on with it.

“He jumps so beautifully, doesn’t he. I think that was probably the easiest race to watch with him, he was always going well and when you are travelling like that, in a slightly slower gear over two and a half, it makes it even easier for him.

“He’s deadly accurate and so natural. We’ll probably school him before we put him to bed (for the summer), just so we know what we are talking about. But I honestly don’t know right now what we’ll do.”

As for Shishkin, he has gone from being the perfect pupil to something of an enigma – albeit still very much a top-class one.

Having won 10 races in a row it all went wrong in last year’s Champion Chase and he was well beaten in the Tingle Creek on his return.

Shishkin and jockey Nico de Boinville (Mike Egerton/PA)

He had a wind operation, was stepped up in trip and looked as good as ever when winning at Ascot before he jumped deplorably in the Ryanair at Cheltenham before staying on into second.

Upped even further to three miles, he wore down Ahoy Senor and now the King George – and maybe even the Gold Cup – is on his agenda.

“He was so much better today than at Cheltenham. He does finish very well, he’s tough and he stays, but he is getting quite lazy in his races,” said Henderson.

“He’s won that by staying – his first race over three miles – so the trainer has got it wrong for the last two years, we know that!

“We admitted that after the Tingle Creek, he won a Grade One over two-mile-five at Ascot, we thought we were right staying at that trip in the Ryanair but to be honest he wouldn’t have won over any trip.

“Three miles is where we’ll stay, we won’t be coming back. I know the Gold Cup is not much further than this, but it is a different track. The obvious place is the King George, then take it from there. Whether you go Betfair and then King George, you are fairly limited in your options but the King George is the obvious target. He won’t go to Punchestown now.

“He used to be very straightforward but, like everybody, he gets a bit creaky.