Betfair Hurdle day at Newbury last Saturday provided some hope for English trainers securing victory at Cheltenham next month with the big-name pair, Shishkin and Edwardstone, enjoying comfortable successes.
After missing the whole of January with a broken collarbone, Nico de Boinville returned with a bang riding a double for his boss Nicky Henderson.
Shishkin in action – now for Cheltenham next month! (Pic – Newbury Racecourse)
Riding the enigmatic Shishkin must be one of the hardest aspects of his job, but also one of the most rewarding. The ten-year-old’s jumping often flirts with disaster and he needed to be rousted along at various points, but De Boinville understands him like nobody else and knows exactly when to push the necessary buttons.
Protektorat was the only other horse in the field for whom a serious form case could be made, and he had a fun time with an uncontested lead for much of the way.
But he completely failed to settle and there was always going to be a reckoning for that, even if the ground was not actually as bad as suggested.
In the end, Shishkin won going away by over four-lengths and is the highest-rated English trained challenger to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Alan King’s Edwardstone was on a retrieval mission heading into the Game Spirit after three average runs this season.
Jockey Tom Cannon changed tactics on the favourite, sending him into a clear lead from the start which galvanised him.
The 2022 Arkle winner produced a storming finish to win by forty lengths, winning in easy fashion.
Colleagues hold a minute of silence at Newbury on Saturday for deceased jockey Keagan Kirkby who was killed at Charing Racecourse on 4 February (Pic – Newbury Racecourse)
It is clear that Funambule Sivola, winner of the race for the previous two years, was nowhere near his best, while something was amiss with Amarillo Sky and Boothill was well held when falling two out.
The ten-year-old will have it all to do in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham against the Mullins trained El Fabiolo but takes his chance and looks a good each-way play.
Saturday was also important to the two men who lead the UK National Hunt Jockeys title.
Over the last couple of months the race to see who will become champion has changed from looking a one-horserace to an exciting contest that should play out to the finish now that Sean Bowen is back in the saddle.
Harry Cobden has been busy riding plenty winners while rival Sean Bowen was injured after a fall on Boxing Day.
Cobden drew level with victory in the final race of the day at Exeter on Saturday, a result which leaves both riders on 121 winners for the season.
Cobden is now a best-priced 1-3 to land his first jockeys’ title, having been thirty winners adrift over Christmas.
Bowen is now a general 9-4 chance to clinch his first championship.
- The season concludes on April 27.
