Cheltenham Gold Cup hopeful Shishkin refuses to run at Ascot and stuns punters

Odds-on favourite Shishkin has shocked punters after refusing to start in the Nirvana Spa 1965 Chase at Ascot.

Shishkin looked nervous at the start and, after the starter dropped his flag, he had staggered to the side before refusing to move as the other racers galloped off. Trainer Nicky Henderson said: "I don't know why he's done that. It's one of those starts where you're going away from home and the odd horse will do it.

"My biggest concern is the King George start is exactly the same — I guarantee if he was at the two-mile start he'd fly up and be in the lead. The pity is there's a 3m [Grade 2] hurdle at Newbury on Friday but it closed this morning — did I know that was going to happen?"

Shishkin is one of the favourites for the King George VI Chase, which is scheduled to take place on Boxing Day.

ITV pundit Mick Fitzgerald added: "He's been a bit funny down at the start at Cheltenham a couple of times in the past. It looked like he was going forward and had relented, and walking to the tapes he looked to be fine, but when the tapes went up he said no, not for me. He's a quirky character.

"I've seen Nicky when he's unhappy and that's as unhappy as you'll ever see him. He looked like he was flabbergasted."

Shishkin's refusal left horse racing punters stunned, although some saw the funny side. One said: "Maybe Shishkin walked the course and didn’t agree with his trainer’s description of the going and thought he’d declare himself a non runner."

While another added: "Well, well, well. Shishkin - the new Mad Moose?" And a third said: "Now all Shishkin needs to do is put the brakes on at the first fence in the King George to complete the s***house racehorse holy trinity.

The raceday stewards deemed Shishkin a runner in the race. However, Coral are refunding all bets on the horse, while Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook are refunding them as free bets.