The epic Shishkin v Energumene duel: a day when it was good to have shares in goosebumps
Three years on: Lee Mottershead's on-the-day view of a sensational Clarence House Chase
The eagerly anticipated clash between Jonbon and Energumene in the Clarence House Chase is drawing closer with the two-mile heavyweights set to battle it out at Ascot on Saturday.
That prospect has sparked fond memories of Energumene's previous Clarence House duel against a Nicky Henderson-trained star, when he was sensationally downed by Shishkin in 2022.
Three days away from Energumene's match-up with Seven Barrows' next chasing star, we have republished this fantastic on-the-day piece by award-winning writer Lee Mottershead, who was at Ascot to witness one of the finest head-to-heads we have seen this century.
Jonbon v Energumene:
- Jonbon and Energumene on course for first clash in Clarence House Chase as big-race weekend entries revealed
- 'It’s deserving of top billing' - Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson camps ready for another epic Clarence House
From the moment it first became a possibility we wondered if it would happen. Well, it happened. My God, it happened. And it was wonderful.
From within the vast grandstand a noise was made the like of which has surely not been heard on a winter Ascot afternoon in 33 years, not since that fabled day when Desert Orchid somehow overhauled Panto Prince in the inaugural running of what is now the SBK Clarence House Chase.
This time the parts were played by Shishkin and Energumene. They gave us herculean performances, yet at the end of a duel none shall forget, it was Shishkin, the utterly magnificent Shishkin, who won their first extraordinary encounter.
Nico de Boinville may never have felt more loved. As he and Shishkin entered Ascot's winner's circle he stood tall in his irons, marking the moment with pride and joy.
Then, after dismounting from the young champion of Seven Barrows, he was feted by a group of racegoers who chanted "Oh, Nico de Boinville" to the tune most famously adapted to honour Jeremy Corbyn at Glastonbury.
The former Labour leader is probably not massively revered in Lambourn. The man who stole his song will not have to buy a drink in the village for an awfully long time.
De Boinville had made his way through Ascot's gates at 10.45am. He strolled past us with a holdall in his left hand, a pair of wellies in the other. He looked remarkably relaxed. Was he treating this as just another day?
"Can't do anything different, can you?" he answered, playing down any sense that nerves might build. "Feelings are dangerous," he explained before heading off to the weighing room.
Following shortly behind him were the first paying customers. Some fancied Shishkin, some fancied Energumene. "Is that the Eugene race?" said a lady from Surrey called Fiona. "If it is, he's the one we're on – and we're really excited to be here."
Peter Scargill's full race report:
Willie Mullins had been in Barbados earlier in the week but he, too, was here, wearing a coat bigger than you need in the West Indies. Like Fiona, he was excited, but also a little tense. Nicky Henderson was definitely tense.
While David Maxwell soaked up the acclaim after landing the card's second race, Henderson stood close to the wall-mounted television in Ascot's winning connections' room.
As the Rossington Main Hurdle runners travelled down the back straight at Haydock he moved to the left of the screen and turned up the volume, the sound increasing along with his anxiety. Then, when it was all over and Jonbon had passed his latest examination, he walked to a nearby table, picked up a glass of red wine and received a pat on the shoulder from wife Sophie.
"Funnily enough, I was nearly more nervous about him than I am about here," said Henderson. "What happens here won't tell us everything. Jonbon had to win to keep the dream going. Whatever happens here, we'll be going the other way round at Cheltenham, up and down hills and dales. It's not the be all and end all. This is going to be the battle, not the war – but I very much want to win the battle!"
Henderson explained that he and Mullins had just enjoyed lunch together. "We both agreed that the only two people not enjoying this are the two of us," he said. "We feel the pressure, of course we do. You wouldn't be human if you didn't. You also shouldn't be doing the job if you didn't."
Dan Skelton was involved in the Clarence House but feeling absolutely no pressure. That's what happens when you have an 80-1 shot guaranteed to earn £8,000 if completing the course.
"Who wins here, one answer?" he asked when walking past me in the pre-parade ring. "Shishkin," I replied, sending the same question back at him. "The other one," he said, laughing. He didn't mean Amoola Gold.
What he, we and you then saw was a contest of epic proportions. As Energumene led Shishkin on the descent to Swinley Bottom there were oohs and aahs from the stands, particularly when Shishkin pecked at the first ditch.
By the time they turned for home Energumene was in charge, as he was at the second-last and final fences. Then something astonishing happened. Shishkin happened. He did a Desert Orchid and sent Ascot into raptures. It was magnificent.
From his spot on the roof, cameraman Stuart Alexander looked at me with a beaming smile. "That was everything I wanted and more," he said. "I've not heard a cheer like that for ages." My ears agreed. It was a good day to have shares in goosebumps.
Down by the paddock, another thrilling sound erupted the second Shishkin emerged from under the tunnel. "Good horses finish," said Skelton, in awe of the winner, like the rest of us.
He is a fabulous racehorse and this was a fabulous race, one that had echoes of the first meeting between Ireland's Arkle and Britain's Mill House in the 1963 Hennessy. Mill House won that one. Knowing what happened next, there is hope for the Energumene camp. For the rest of us, the hope is that there may be more of this to come
"That was some horserace," said De Boinville, now full of feelings. "I just said to the lads that it was the greatest thrill simply to be involved in the race, let alone to win it. Even if I had come second I would be saying that was the best race I've ever ridden in.
"I'm elated. All credit to the guv'nor as well. We haven't ducked this one. We came to the party today."
Ascot has seldom thrown a better one. What we got this January afternoon was truly as good as it gets.
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Published on inLee Mottershead
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