Was Shishkin's performance that of a leading Gold Cup contender? Our experts have their say

Shishkin recorded an overdue first success of the season in the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury on Saturday after he refused to race on his reappearance in November before unseating Nico de Boinville when leading the King George on Boxing Day. He was unchanged at 8-1 with Betfair for the Gold Cup and our experts have their say on his chances at the Cheltenham Festival.

'He'd need Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow to slightly underperform'

Shishkin heads to Cheltenham slightly damned by the way the challenges of stablemates Champ and Chantry House quickly unravelled in recent Gold Cups.

Neither of those horses had revealed the frailty that proved their undoing prior to blowing out in the sternest test of all, while Shishkin has had more than one day at the races which would put a question mark against his suitability. However, he heads there in excellent form, having looked about as impressive as you can given the very holding conditions at Newbury. 

Would he need Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow to slightly underperform to win the Gold Cup? The percentage call is to say yes, although Shishkin remains unexposed at the trip – winning his only two completed starts beyond two miles and five furlongs – and the Gold Cup trip might yet bring about further improvement.
Scott Burton, France correspondent

'His turn of foot was impressive'

It has been somewhat of a dramatic season so far for Shishkin but order was restored after he comfortably returned to winning ways in the Denman Chase on ground he would definitely not favour. 

He jumped consistently and put behind the disappointment of unseating Nico de Boinville late in the King George on Boxing Day, when he was desperately unlucky, but he has the stamina for staying distances and there's no reason why he can't improve again for the Gold Cup. 

He will obviously face a more competitive field at Cheltenham, but his turn of foot to pull away from Hitman was impressive and he has to have a good chance in the big one on better ground.
Liam Headd, reporter

Shishkin: general 8-1 chance for the Gold Cup next monthCredit: Mark Cranham

'The Gold Cup trip will bring the best out of him'

I am convinced the Gold Cup trip will bring the best out of Shishkin and there was nothing in his performance at Newbury to change my mind. 

He produced a clear round of jumping and kept on well at the finish on his first start on heavy ground since recording his breakthrough success over hurdles at the same track in January 2020. 

It was important Shishkin got his head in front but as his rider Nico de Boinville reiterated in his winning interview with ITV Racing, this was very much a prep run for the Gold Cup – and there should be plenty of improvement over an extra three furlongs.

Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow are the obvious ones to beat but I thought Shishkin would have won the King George were it not for his unfortunate stumble and he can run a serious race in the Gold Cup, which is the ultimate test of his main asset — stamina.
Charlie Huggins, reporter

Read more:

Nicky Henderson 'relieved' as Shishkin leaves turbulent season firmly behind with gutsy display in Denman Chase 

Can Shishkin triumph in the Gold Cup? Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls assess Denman Chase winner's Cheltenham claim 

Cheltenham Gold Cup runner Sounds Russian set to return over hurdles at Haydock after 11-month absence 

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