Shishkin comes alive again, while it was another good Saturday if you were a Williams

This week saw the triumphant return of one of Britain's best chasers in dazzling fashion, while other trainers defied expectations to showcase their prowess in handicaps. Here are three things we learned from the past seven days in racing . . .

Never write off a class horse

Form is temporary, class is permanent. That old adage couldn't have rung truer than with Shishkin, who silenced his doubters with an emphatic victory in the Ascot Chase on Saturday.

Defeat in last year's Queen Mother Champion Chase, followed by another on his reappearance in the Tingle Creek, had many questioning whether the horse, who had looked unbeatable earlier in his career, still has what it takes. Any such thoughts were put to bed at Ascot.

It was obvious from the start of the race that he was jumping and travelling with much more vigour than at Sandown – it was like watching the Shishkin of old – and any worries about stamina evaporated as he pulled 16 lengths clear after the last.

The manner of his victory was underlined by the lack of interest shown by connections of those in behind to take him on again at Cheltenham, with Pic D'Orhy and Fakir D'Oudairies set to head to Aintree instead.

Trainer Nicky Henderson cheered Shishkin on with a glint in his eye; the machine who had carried all before him up until the 2022 festival was back in full effect.

The Ryanair looks the obvious next step, though if connections did shoot for the moon and have a tilt at the Gold Cup, it would be a great thing to see.
Harry Wilson, reporter

Shishkin: back to his best at AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Pigeonhole trainers at your folly

Part of the key to successful punting is deducing each trainer's strengths, and Venetia Williams has often seemed like an easy one to pin down.

Chasing is her game and the understood principle was that the softer it got, the better her horses would run. Yet on Saturday she showed the risk of making assumptions by placing first and third in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, which had struggled for rain in recent days.

Good to soft ground seemed unlikely to produce the best from a yard renowned for mudlarks, but a thrilling battle to the line between Quick Wave and Snow Leopardess fell in favour of Williams and Harry Bannister, who celebrated his first big winner following a dislocated hip.

Despite the name of the race, Quick Wave was one of just four runners with an entry for the Aintree showpiece and her appearance will likely be guaranteed when the Grand National weights are announced on Tuesday.

A third-place finish from stablemate Cloudy Glen showed that Williams' success was no fluke despite punters' reservations, with the ten-year-old drifting from an opening price of 18-1 to an SP of 28-1.

He also holds an entry for the National and you can be assured that Williams will be poised to strike in April, come rain or shine.
Catherine Macrae, reporter

Cap Du Nord (Jack Tudor) provides Christian Williams with a first winner at Ascot on Saturday Credit: Mark Cranham

Christian Williams is on the comeback trail

Christian Williams was the first to admit he was having a slow season as he went into Saturday with just eight winners to his name.

Stable stars Potters Corner and Win My Wings were retired in November and his yard seemed to be struggling to fill the gaps left by the leading lights of Ogmore Farm.

Yet while the process of rebuilding is likely to take time, Williams proved he remains a force when Cap Du Nord landed the £100,000 Swinley Chase at Ascot.

It was almost a year since the ten-year-old's last victory, in the Coral Trophy at Kempton, where he led home a 1-2 for the trainer, but Williams showed his ability to strike in big handicaps remains with his first victory at Ascot.

He had chosen to swerve the upcoming Coral Trophy in favour of this race and was not shy in sharing his confidence in his runner, who was only narrowly denied in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last month.

His conviction proved right after Cap Du Nord swept to a seven-length win.
Catherine Macrae, reporter

Read more:

Ascot Chase: 'Today was everything' - Henderson relief after Shishkin storms back to brilliant best 

Grand National Trial: 'This means a lot' - Quick Wave enters Aintree picture for overjoyed Bannister 

Ascot: 'He's been an incredible horse' - Cap Du Nord a welcome winner for Christian Williams 

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