The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin made it three victories for four starts over hurdles with a thrilling victory in the £125,000 Gr1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.
Ridden by Nico de Boinville, the 6/1 shot stayed on strongly up the Cheltenham hill to eventually get the better of an engaging battle with the Gordon Elliott-trained Abacadabras (11/4), to register a head success in the two-mile opener to The Festival™ presented by Magners. Shishkin’s stable companion Chantry House (15/2) was a further 11 lengths back in third.
Seven Barrows maestro Henderson, drew level with Willie Mullins as the most successful trainer ever at The Festival with his 65th victory.
Shishkin, a £170,000 purchase at Tattersalls Cheltenham in 2018, was providing Henderson with a fourth victory in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle following on from Altior (2016), Flown (1992) and River Ceiriog (1986).
Henderson, whose stable star Altior was ruled out of Wednesday’s Gr1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase said: “I couldn’t see where Shishkin had got to and Barry looked to be in the right sort of place. Nico looked to be in the right sort of place coming to the last. Shishkin has got those gears and he needed them today to get out of the trouble he had got into. It was no fault of Nico’s – he has given the horse a wonderful ride and has done well to get out of there. I think we know he is pretty cool round here.
“Chantry House has run a great race and both he and Shishkin are two gorgeous horses for the future. We have a lot to look forward. They have won point-to-points and I would think chasing is where we will go.
“We say it every year that something will come up and bite you, and sadly it was Altior that has had to stay at home. He is one of the more powerful shots but this was great and all of our horses have run well.”
