It’s been a long time – 261 days to be exact – and there have been many false days along the way, but the great hope of British jump racing is finally back on a track. Shishkin, unbeaten in nine complete start over jumps and a favorite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, was in the book ahead of her rookie season, posting around 2.25 p.m. today to line up for the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park.
And while there were some who felt Nikki Henderson was running away from a fair trial for Shishkin when he was kicked out of Tingle Creek earlier this month, the seven-year-old will be up against a dual Grade One winner in Greenteen. – the horse that landed on Tingle Creek in his absence – along with Sky Pirate, the grand annual winner of last year’s Cheltenham Festival, in the mix.
Shishkin receives 3lb from Greenteen and 1lb from Sky Pirate, which puts him a stone clear of the former and no less than 19lb in front of the latter, according to the estimated Timeform Operation rating. Even if he’s a little rusty around the edges after eight months, that should be enough to ensure he extends his current winning streak to nine races (after the only blip on his record). unbroken, fall on his debut over the odds).
But Henderson, of course, has mixed memories of today’s race, having won it with the illustrious two-miler sprinters Sacre and Altair, but has seen both horses beating even when the favorites for it, including a chilly afternoon when the sprinter Sacre’s unbeaten streak on the fence was broken in 10 races in 2013.
After losing Mai Drogo, one of our talented newbie chasing talents, for today’s season, British jumping can really make up for the impressive success of Shishkin, whose Arkle Trophy win in March saw the home team three Festival turned 2-1 after the race. They were flattened on their way to being crushed 23-5 by the visitors before a green avalanche.
The big betting race of the day is the Welsh Nationals in Chepstow, where last year’s winner, Secret Repriv, is about to take the side favors ahead of Sam Thomas’ Evildoit.
For the second year in a row, the highlight of the Welsh jump season has been forced behind closed doors by Covid, so after a 54-year hiatus until Potters Corner, no Welsh voices to cheer for a third consecutive home-trained winner Hogi—who is also in the field today—won in 2019.
It is soft to go into Chepstow after 19 mm of rain on Christmas Day, another 4 mm on Sunday and then more this morning, although it is expected to clear as the day passes.
There are tips for all the races on the ITV schedule Here, while the action is underway at 12.30 in South Wales and at 12.45 in South-West London.
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