'Use it to sell the sport' - Chamberlin drooling over Shishkin and Energumene

ITV Racing’s lead presenter Ed Chamberlin has called on the sport to make the most of Saturday’s dream heavyweight clash between superstar two-milers Shishkin and Energumene, comparing it to Manchester United versus Liverpool and believing it is the sort of contest that has the power to reach a new audience.

The highly anticipated showdown between the top unbeaten chasers drew one step closer on Monday after both remained in contention for Ascot’s Grade 1 SBK Clarence House Chase (3.35) at the confirmation stage, and Chamberlin expects the whole sport will be anxiously awaiting the final declarations on Thursday.

“In my old job this would have a name and we’d be selling it all week,” said the former Sky Sports anchor.

“You’ve the best from Britain taking on the best from Ireland in a head-to-head clash, they’re both unbeaten over fences and from two of the big powerhouses. It’s got everything.

“The biggest clash I ever presented domestically was always Liverpool versus Manchester United, wherever they were in the league, but if they were both in title contention it went up a notch and this clash has the two best two-milers at the top of their game so it’s like if Liverpool and Man United were first and second in the league.”

Analysis: Energumene will make it fast and furious, but is he a freak like Shishkin?

Indeed Chamberlin wants more of this sort of contest.

He added: “I can remember being at the St Leger when I first started at ITV and I was interviewing Brough Scott and, let’s face it, he’s watched racing for an awful lot longer than me. He said the best thing about racing was the great head-to-heads. In recent years we’ve looked forward to great clashes and very rarely have they happened.

“When everyone heard Willie Mullins say this was the aim for Energumene and Nicky Henderson followed suit we all thought it’d never happen, so absolute full marks to the pair of them if they’re declared at 10am on Thursday morning. I suspect we’ll be a very nervous sport, we’ll all be frantically refreshing and hoping it’s on. It’s brilliant, it’s what the sport’s all about.

“Shishkin’s got a really good following already, Energumene not so much yet among the ITV audience but we’ll do our best to build it up. These are the clashes that capture people’s interest in the sport so let’s really enjoy it if it’s on and use it to sell the sport.”

Shishkin and Energumene: two big guns on course to meet in the Clarence House Chase

The £150,000 Grade 1 may have attracted only five potential runners with last year’s winner, the Kim Bailey-trained First Flow, also joined by the Paul Nicholls-trained Hitman and Dan Skelton’s possible Amoola Gold – but those at Ascot are as delighted with the potential clash, although they are nervously awaiting declaration time too.

Director of racing and public affairs Nick Smith said: “It’s certainly going to be the highlight of the jumps season here and one of the best races in the calendar if it all comes off. Until the declarations are made we don’t want to jump any guns, but hopefully everything goes according to plan and First Flow’s also in there, which shouldn't be forgotten.

“It’s what the jumps racing review group has been hoping we’d see more of and if we see more of it this weekend this far out from Cheltenham that’s fantastic. It’s everything you want a race to be.”

As part of the jumps review the Clarence House was mentioned as a race that could revert to a handicap and on that Smith added: “It was highlighted as the sort of thing that’s being looked at by the group, which I’m on, rather than a specific plan for an individual race. The whole two-mile calendar, indeed the whole Graded calendar, needs to be looked at and there are too many Graded races and opportunities need to be reduced.

“It’s a question of making sure the right races are changed, or deleted, and that’ll be part of the thinking going forwards. The recommendations of that group go into the next phase of the working party and will be debated. We’d be very interested to hear what people think but no decisions have been made and no formal discussions have taken place, it’s just theoretical at this stage, but whatever people’s opinions are we’re here to listen.

“If this race comes off it’s clearly serving its purpose this year, but you have to take things in a wider context. It has been working fairly well, it’s not a failing race so it’s part of a wider discussion. There’s no plan to change the race at this stage but it is an option. There’s a case the Grade 1s are fine and it’s the Grade 2s that need to be looked at, a strong case.”

SBK Clarence House Chase betting

Coral: 4-9 Shishkin, 9-4 Energumene, 6 First Flow, 11 Hitman, 50 Amoola Gold

Jonbon and Royale Pagaille set for Haydock assignments

Elsewhere on Saturday, the Henderson-trained Jonbon was entered for the Grade 2 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (1.25) at Haydock as the unbeaten six-year-old warms up for a potential clash with stablemate Constitution Hill and the best of the Irish in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Last year’s runaway winner Royale Pagaille was one of 17 entered for the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (2.35).

Five-time Grade 1 winner and course specialist Bristol De Mai was also entered, although the 11-year-old grey could also line up in Sunday’s £150,000 Fleur De Lys Chase (3.00) at Lingfield’s Winter Million fixture.

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'His work was very, very good' – Shishkin set for Energumene clash at Ascot

'The plan is to run' – Mullins targets Energumene at Clarence House Chase

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday