Shishkin (4 April 2014 – 28 April 2024) was an Irish-bred British-trained thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. A dual Cheltenham Festival winner, he won 14 of his 21 races including six Grade 1s with his best performance generally regarded as the Clarence House Chase victory over Energumene.[1][2] He was trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville.[3]
| Shishkin | |
|---|---|
 Racing silks of Mrs J Donnelly | |
| Sire | Sholokhov |
| Dam | Labarynth |
| Damsire | Exit To Nowhere |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 4 April 2014 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Breeder | C J & E B Bennett |
| Owner | Mrs J Donnelly |
| Trainer | Nicky Henderson |
| Record | 21: 14-1-2 |
| Earnings | £798,668[1] |
| Major wins | |
| Supreme Novices' Hurdle (2020) Arkle Challenge Trophy (2021) Maghull Novices' Chase (2021) Clarence House Chase (2022) Ascot Chase (2023) Aintree Bowl (2023) | |
Racing career
After two point-to-points in 2018, Shishkin began racing under rules with a bumper win at Kempton in March 2019.[3] He raced as a novice hurdler during the 2019/20 season, falling on his hurdling debut at Newbury,[2] before securing a maiden win a month later.[3] After a 11-length success in the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle he was favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.[4] His odds drifted on the eve of the Festival but Shishkin overcame a "troubled passage" during the race to win in a photo finish from Abacadabras.[5]
Shishkin was switched to fences for the 2020/21 season, in novice chase company he had three easy victories prior to the Cheltenham Festival including in the Wayward Lad and Lightning Novices' Chase.[1][3] He began the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham as odds-on favourite and delivered an impressive 12-length victory.[6] A fifth success of the season followed at Aintree with the Maghull Novices' Chase.[3]
Shishkin's start to the 2021/22 season was delayed with Henderson choosing not to run him in the Tingle Creek Chase.[7] He re-appeared at Kempton for the Desert Orchid Chase where he record a ninth straight victory.[3] He then faced unbeaten Irish two-miler chaser Energumene in a much anticipated clash in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot.[8] Energumene led and set a strong pace throughout with Shishkin working hard to keep in touch, he cleared the last fence still trailing but kept on to win by a length. Jockey de Boinville rated it as one of the best races he had ridden in.[9] Both horses lined-up for a rematch in the Queen Mother Champion Chase but Shishkin put in a disappointing performance and was pulled up halfway through the race.[10] The initial reason for this was the heavy ground but later tests showed that Shishkin had a rare bone condition.[11]
Shishkin returned to racing seven months later at the Tingle Creek, after finishing a distance third Henderson assessed that he now needed to race further than two miles.[12] His next race was the Ascot Chase, the longer distance of two miles five furlongs bringing about a return to form as he won by 16 lengths.[13] A month later at the Cheltenham Festival he made several jumping errors in finishing second to Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase.[14] His season concluded with a first run over three miles in the Aintree Bowl, which he won after rallying late on to beat Ahoy Senor.[15]
The 2023/24 season for Shishkin was set to begin with the 1965 Chase at Ascot but the horse planted himself at the start and refused to race.[16] His next outing, the King George VI Chase, was no less eventual as he led by a length jumping the second last fence before stumbling and unseating jockey de Boinville.[17] Shishkin returned to winning ways with victory in the Denman Chase which left Henderson to target the Cheltenham Gold Cup.[18] He was among a number of Henderson horses withdrawn from their Festival races after an unsatisfactory scope.[19] He came fourth in the Aintree Bowl on 11 April 2024,[20] in what would prove to be his final race.[2] Henderson announced the death of Shishkin on 28 April 2024 which was as a result of fracturing his hind leg after getting stuck in his box.[1]