Ascot Saturday

Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)

JUST over a year ago, Shishkin was British steeplechasing’s golden boy, with defeat of Energumene in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot both comprehensive and seemingly emblematic, but he fell from grace suddenly when pulled up in the Champion Chase and more questions were raised when he finished a lacklustre third to Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Eyebrows were raised when Nicky Henderson didn’t even enter him in this year’s renewal of that contest, but the doubts expressed about both trainer and horse were dispelled in spectacular style at Ascot on Saturday.

Shishkin looked back to his very best in running away with the Grade 1 Ascot Chase, fully justifying Henderson’s belief that he needs further than two miles these days, and the manner in which the 2/1 second-favourite pulled 16 lengths clear of Pic D’Orhy (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) in the closing stages brooks no argument regarding his stamina for the Ryanair Chase next month. If anything, this performance begged the question of whether he might be better being aimed at the Gold Cup.

Strange one

Fakir D’Oudairies (Joseph O’Brien/J.J. Slevin) started favourite in his bid to win this race for a second successive season, but could only finish third.

The decision to race wide of Shishkin seemed a strange one in the circumstances, with the winner’s apparent weakness at Sandown being his tendency to go to his left, and Fakir D’Oudairies regularly lost out in the jumping stakes, but he was beaten 23 lengths in total, and tactics alone cannot explain a disappointing showing.

Nicky Henderson was visibly delighted by this renaissance, and he showed that even he had his worries about getting Shishkin back to where he was, explaining: “Today was everything. If he didn’t show today, we had to say ‘look, we were very lucky, we had a good horse but we haven’t got one anymore’, but today we can say we still have a very good horse.

“The whole game was different, he was on the bridle the whole way. That’s what I wanted to see, instead of having to keep niggling, keep pressing, keep kicking. The first fence was going to tell us everything, second fence told us a lot and by the third, I was a happy man.”

Remote possibility

The Ryanair looks the natural next step with the withdrawal of Willie Mullins’ two-time winner Allaho, and while the Gold Cup remains a remote possibility, Henderson scotched any notions that he might be supplemented for the two-miler.

“The only thing Nico said there is that we do not need the Champion Chase, because the pace of that is actually going to undo what we’ve just done.

“I think you’ve got to say that he’ll be odds on for the Ryanair, unless somebody tells me that there are so many bad horses in the Gold Cup that you’ve got to run him in it. I would have thought it would be pretty stupid, but I’ve done some stupid things in my time so far!

“He’s not in the Champion Chase and he’s not coming into it, at least I can say he’s in the other two. I would have thought the most likely has got to be the Ryanair, it’s the sensible one.”

Paul Nicholls wasn’t disheartened by defeat for Pic D’Orhy, but is in no mood for a rematch at Cheltenham saying: “We’ll let him [Shishkin] go to the Ryanair,” said the Ditcheat handler in the aftermath. “We’ll give that a miss and probably head to Aintree. We’d have probably done that anyway as the flat track suits him better. I’d imagine Shishkin will be hard to beat in the Ryanair.”

Booster for Elite

Oscar Elite (Joe Tizzard/Harry Cobden) looked a bright prospect for staying novice chases last season, but a tendency to break blood vessels held him back, and despite a few eye-catching runs in defeat, he failed to score in his first season. He hadn’t set the world alight this term, either, but on good ground which clearly suited him well, the 6/1 outsider of three ran a brave race to get the better of odds-on favourite Bold Endeavour (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase.

The winner was placed in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last season and was back to that form under a fine ride from Harry Cobden, who kept the pressure on the favourite without asking too much.

Oscar Elite threw in a couple of bold leaps in the straight when required, and won by seven and a half lengths from the eased-down second who seemed to find his stamina stretched.

This is clearly not strong form for the grade, but a 4lb rise for the winner will see him just 1lb higher than when third to Corach Rambler last March, and this win is likely to do something for his confidence after some misfortune in 2021/22.

Haydock Saturday

NICK Alexander enjoyed his biggest success when Lake View Lad won the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree a couple of years ago, and doubled his Grade 2 tally on Saturday as Wakool (Conor O’Farrell) outstayed favourite Itchy Feet (Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen) to win the Rendlesham Hurdle by one and three quarter lengths after the runner-up had travelled best.

With the five principals all rated between 139 and 143, this could hardly be described as a strong contest for its graded status, but it was competitive on paper, and the 6/1 winner was gaining reward for some consistent efforts.

The handicapper has not over-reacted to the win, and a new mark of 142 represents just a 3lb rise. The winner is qualified for the Pertemps Final having finished in the frame at Musselburgh on his previous start, but Alexander is not tempted.

“He’d be qualified for the Pertemps, but I don’t think he’ll go,” explained the Kinneston handler. “Now he’s a Grade 2 winner, we’ll try and find another.

“Today was in my mind for a long time because it’s so close to Cheltenham, it’s quite often not the deepest Grade 2.”

Controversial finish

There was a controversial finish to the Grade 2 Prestige Novices’ Hurdle, with jockey Lorcan Williams picking up a hefty ban under the new whip rules after driving Makin’yourmindup (Paul Nicholls) to a short-head win over Collectors Item (Jonjo O’Neill/Kevin Brogan).

The winning rider went over the maximum strokes permitted on the 17/2 winner, and also used his whip above shoulder height, with his 18-day ban ratified on Monday by the BHA.

Once again, this result did little to shake up the Cheltenham Festival markets, with the winner not entered for the Albert Bartlett, and the runner-up still available to back at 50/1.

Round-up

As well as the pattern races, there were some handicaps to note at the weekend, with the Grand National Trial at Haydock providing an exciting finish between two mares, with Quick Wave (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) winning gamely by three-parts of a length from an equally brave Snow Leopardess (Charlie Longsdon/Gavin Sheehan).

Quick Wave is entered at Aintree, while the latter could have a crack at the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase next month.

At Ascot, Cap Du Nord (Christian Williams/Jack Tudor) took the Swinley Handicap Chase by seven lengths from Neon Moon (David Pipe/Philip Armson) and attempts to repeat his win in the Coral Trophy at Kempton this weekend.