Sprinter Sacre, Altior, Shishkin? Super Arkle winner 5-2 for 2022 Champion Chase

Shishkin glides to a serene success in the Arkle Novices’ Chase

Michael Steele

Shishkin barely had to come out of second gear as he cruised to a dominant success in the Sporting Life Arkle.

On a day of wide-margin successes Shishkin was arguably even more impressive than the Supreme winner Appreciate It as he did not come off the bridle.

Nicky Henderson’s latest superstar tanked his way to the front down the hill. He jumped three out upsides Captain Guinness and Allmankind. By the line they were 13 lengths adrift in third and fourth, having been picked off up the run in by the patiently-ridden Eldorado Allen.

Shishkin clears the last in excellent style under Nico de Boinville

Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The official margin of victory was 12 lengths, but in truth that was only representative of the bare minimum of Shishkin’s authority over his four rivals. It is impossible to know just how much more was there if needed, just as it is fair to wonder if there is a horse in training capable of finding out.

“I’m absolutely over the moon to be on a horse such as Shishkin, his profile is amazing. He’s a fantastic horse,” said winning jockey Nico de Boinville.

“After that you could say he will be anything. It’s a massive shame Energumene didn’t come over. It would have been some match-up. Shishkin was in some form and would have taken some beating.

“He’s very versatile, let’s not pigeon hole him to trips at the moment. That was a really hard, fast-run two mile race and no prisoners were taken.”

Sporting Life Arkle: full result

Henderson said: “He’s got a high cruising speed and sat on their tails. Nico brought him wide, he had plenty of horse from two out but he was impressive the way he came up the hill. 

“How lucky can you be, we had the great days when Sprinter won it and then Altior came through and it’s extraordinary to find another one. He looked every bit as good as the other two and he’s a long way to go before he can be mentioned in the same breath but he couldn’t have done any more than that today.”

Asked if he could be out again this season, Henderson said of the new 5-2 favourite for the 2022 Champion Chase: “Why not? He’s only had three chases and we haven’t asked him too many questions up until now, he’s not had to beat anything and he’s only been on flat courses, it’s the first time he’s been asked a big question and when you see an answer like that you have to think why wouldn’t you think of Aintree – I assume that’s the only place he would go.”

Read more from Cheltenham Festival Tuesday:

‘That was Vautour-like’ – Mullins in awe as Appreciate It roars to 24-length win

Supreme time suggests good to soft ground as Appreciate It wins opener

Gallant grey Vintage Clouds rolls back the years to land Ultima at fifth attempt

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FIRST PUBLISHED 2:05PM, MAR 16 2021