Nicky Henderson will step Shiskin up to three miles for the first time in the Aintree Bowl which the trainer believes could be the "race of the year" during the 2023 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.
The nine-year-old looked peerless in 10 straight successes over hurdles and fences before he was disappointingly pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last year's Cheltenham Festival. A solid return when third over the minimum distance in the Tingle Creek at Sandown was followed by a superb 16-length back-to-form success when up in trip to 2m5f for the first time in the rearranged Grade One Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January. But he couldn't follow up at the Cheltenham Festival where he stayed on to be second, two-and-three-quarter-length, behind Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase.
He wasn't foot perfect at Prestbury and Henderson will now step him up in trip again the Aintree Bowl on Grand Opening Day on April 13. Shishkin could take on the likes of Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup second, third and fourth – Bravemansgame, Conflated and Protektorat – as well as the 2021 Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard at Aintree in what is a mouth-watering clash of some of the best chasers around.
