Nicky Henderson tipped strongly to step up to Shishkin’s trip after the 6/5 favorite finished a disappointing third behind sensational winner Edwardstone in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.
The two-time Cheltenham Festival winner was bidding to give Henderson his third victory in the race and join seven sprinter legends Sacre and Altior in the Grade One two-mile honours.
However, it wasn’t quite right for the eight-year-old who was being chased by Nico de Boinville in his early days since his upset favorite in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he later found out. be suffering from osteoporosis.
“I think it was obvious from half back that he was going as fast as his legs would carry him,” Henderson said. “He jumped really well, and he carried himself well. He kept going, but you always felt that he was going very fast, and it looked like that.”
Although he went past and crossed the famous fences of the Railway Station, Shishkin tried to avoid approaching the Pond Fence, which is located three buildings away.
But a surprise mistake gave way to the winner and he eventually stayed away from the winner trained by Alan King.
Shishkin was promoted in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival
Henderson continued: “He came into the race in third and he messed up and then he was in the car park and it was over. I can’t say he had three chances because he went left. And he wasn’t going to win from there. The winner was great and well done Alan.
“We probably underestimated last season’s two-mile sprinters a little bit. They want to get on the trip and we’re not going to mess it up again.
“His next run is going to be a lot more than that. I’m not going to rule anything in or out. I want to see him in the race that he likes to go to. This is not surprising. I in a funny way if you see him at home.
Edwardstone clears the final fence on the road to victory at Sandown
“He was unstoppable in the Clarence House and strength is the only reason he won. That (Ascot Chase) will be better at two miles or there is the Denman Chase which is a big track.
“If the three big races at Cheltenham come to an end in January the one race he won’t be in is the Champion Chase. He’d rather be in the Gold Cup than the Champion Chase.”
In contrast, Paul Nicholls was pleased with the way Greaneteen played the defending champion, who dropped his shield for the second time.
A specialist over the course and distance, a third consecutive Celebration Chase on the final day of the season is now his target for the second half of the campaign.
“He was beaten by a better horse on the day, but he ran blindly,” said the champion’s trainer.
“The winner is a guy who has come from novice and has obviously progressed. Harry (Cobden) said there are no excuses, and I didn’t see any excuses. He jumped well and walked well. Well he wasn’t good enough, it was as simple as that.
“Obviously this is a very smart horse who has done well. Our first target for the rest of the season is the Celebration Chase and we can go to the Champion Chase down the road if there is a good place in the spring. I wouldn’t want to run him down too much in the winter.”
