meet the man set to get Shishkin to start in the King George

Racing Post

20 December 2023

meet the man set to get Shishkin to start in the King George

Nicky Henderson has said he is more concerned about Shishkin's lack of a run heading into Tuesday’s Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, than any possible repeat of his antics when he refused to race at Ascot last month

Shishkin was one of eight confirmations for the King George on Wednesday, with market principals Allaho, Bravemansgame and Gerri Colombe also in contention. The Real Whacker, Royale Pagaille, Hewick and Frodon were the others to stand their ground.

With Gordon Elliott yet to fully commit Gerri Colombe, Shishkin is currently trading as the 11-2 third best with the sponsors, and Henderson described the six-time Grade 1 winner as “the forgotten horse” in the race.

During a Jockey Club press visit to his Seven Barrows base in Lambourn, Henderson underlined Shishkin's wellbeing, while emphasising the scale of the task he faces in trying to win the King George on what is now his seasonal debut.

"I keep saying I don’t see how you can win a King George without having a [prep] race but, for him, he's going really well and his schooling the other morning was fantastic,” said Henderson.

Gerri Colombe: not certain to line up at Kempton on Boxing Day

Henderson produced a mighty training performance in reinventing Shishkin as a three-mile performer when landing the Bowl at Aintree last April, just four weeks after he had run in snatches when second in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

A three-time winner of the King George with Long Run (2010 and 2012) and Might Bite (2017), Henderson said he could envisage the lack of a previous run catching Shishkin out.

"He might run really well but just not get home,” said Henderson. “Some people might think it’s an easy three miles because there’s no hills, it’s flat and it’s fast but in the King George you’ve got to stay and be fit.

“There’s no hiding place or opportunity to take a blow or have a breather, it’s jump, jump, jump and flat out around a bend.

"When he won the Supreme he was a very good horse and he still is; it’s just taken us a bit longer to realise he’s a three-miler and not a two-miler. He’s proved what he can do over three, so let’s stick to it. He’s the forgotten horse in the race and nobody seems to be talking about him."

Given that the last time Joe and Marie Donnelly’s star was seen in public he chose to disgrace himself when ignoring Nico de Boinville’s urgings to jump off at Ascot, there were plenty of questions fired at both Henderson and assistant George Daly, who rides out the nine-year-old every day and will be with him at Kempton, including down at the start.

His presence is a key part of avoiding a repeat of the 1965 Chase no-show. Daly, nephew of trainer Henry and in his fourth year with Henderson, was overseeing the yard’s runners at Haydock that day but will be in attendance at Kempton.

"There’s no reason to think he won’t start but it was the same at Ascot," said Daly. "We didn’t think it’d happen otherwise we’d have sent someone down to the start. I’ll be down there making sure he’s happy and if Nico runs into trouble, we’ll sort it out. We just hope it was a one-off.”

Daly added: "He’s the best horse I’ve sat on for a long time. He’s fine at home, no different to most horses. He’s A1 at the moment. It's the biggest race in the country outside Cheltenham and Aintree and it's the Christmas showpiece, so it'd be nice to win it."

Bravemansgame: money for last year's King George hero

Coral reported money for Bravemansgame following yesterday’s confirmation stage, with the gap between last season’s King George hero and the Willie Mullins-trained Allaho narrowing at the head of the market.

While Allaho remains solid at 7-4, Coral clipped Bravemansgame half a point and he could yet reclaim favouritism.

“All the money was for Allaho earlier this week, but we’ve seen plenty of support for Bravemansgame over the last 24 hours, and following the final entry stage, we’ve cut him to 9-4 from 11-4,’’ said the firm’s Lewis Knowles.