Shishkin proved himself to be back to his brilliant best with a comprehensive victory in the Betfair Ascot Chase.
Nicky Henderson's gelding was at one point an unstoppable force in the two-mile division, but he was pulled up when the favourite in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last season.
A comeback run in the Tingle Creek this season also ended in defeat, but stepped up in trip under Nico de Boinville, he showed all of his ability, winning at a canter to cross the line 16 lengths to the good at odds of 2-1.
With last year’s winner Fakir D’oudairies beaten some way out, it was a duel between Shishkin and Pic D’Orhy turning into the straight.
However, the latter had no answer when Shishkin kicked up a gear, with the winner now the clear favourite for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!!
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) February 18, 2023
SHISHKIN right back to his best in the Betfair Ascot Chase for @NdeBoinville @sevenbarrows 🥳 pic.twitter.com/DJT7AHpTjY
"Today was everything. If he didn't show today, we had to say 'look, we were very lucky, we had a good horse but we haven’t got one anymore’, but today we can say we still have a very good horse," Henderson said.
"Good horses are good horses, class will out and that’s what it did today. Bless him, he did that.
"The whole game was different, he was on the bridle the whole way. That’s what I wanted to see, instead of having to keep niggling, keep pressing, keep kicking. The first fence was going to tell us everything, second fence told us a lot and by the third, I was a happy man."
The Ryanair looks the natural next step come the Cheltenham Festival, a race opened up by the withdrawal of Willie Mullins’ two-time winner Allaho.
De Boinville added: "He felt a different horse. He was doing everything right at home and that wind op has definitely helped a whole load.
"I said to the guv’nor we’d know our fate after the first two and so it proved.
"I think just going half a stride slower definitely helped him and he was able to jump and travel and latch on to the bridle, which he hasn’t been doing over two miles.
"I was mindful that he hasn’t run since the Tingle Creek and even then I don’t think he had a very nice time. The most important thing today was to get him jumping and travelling and get him enjoying himself.
"You want them to enjoy it rather than it be hard work all the time."
