Shishkin (horse)

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; he was euthanized following fracturing his hind leg after getting stuck in his box.^[1][21]