Ruby Walsh: Nico can nick it by keeping it simple with Shishkin
Nicky Henderson and Shishkin. Shishkin can come out on top in a high quality field. Picture: Tim Goode/PA Wire
HE Champion Chase is many people’s favourite race and has an honour roll that fits its title. Superstars have strutted their stuff in this, and today’s winner will be up there with the best of them because the race has a star-studded line-up.
Shishkin, Energumene, and Chacun Pour Soi will face off at 3.30pm, where they will race at the minimum steeplechase distance at the maximum speed for National Hunt horses. What that speed is will depend on who the best horse is.
Form suggests its Shishkin, but the others must hope that, and at this tighter, faster circuit, Energumene will be hoping speed can reverse his Ascot form with Shishkin. Chacun will be looking to make it third time lucky on English soil after two below-par efforts on his previous away trips, but the fly in the ointment for both of Willie Mullins’s charges could be the man on Shishkin’s back.
Nico De Bonville is exceptionally good at keeping things very simple. Doing the basics right is a line used in every sport, but they usually let people down when the pressure is on. Nico has shown on Shishkin that he rides the race he wants to on him and never allows the tactics of the others to sway his decision making.
Shishkin can maintain a high tempo for longer than most horses, and Nico will let him roll as far from home as he needs to make sure this is not just a speed test but a stamina battle. Nico led three out in last year’s Arkle and after three fences at Aintree. Paul Townend and Patrick Mullins will have their game plans, but Nico’s simple one will likely be victorious because he is probably on the best horse.
Day two will start like day one with a novice hurdle, only this time they will assemble in the middle of the track because this bunch must race over four furlongs further than yesterday for Ballymore glory.
For the last few weeks, Sir Gerhard has vied for ante-post favouritism for both novice hurdles but was a short price favourite for this one for an even longer spell. His debut at Christmas was flawless, but his second start at the Dublin Racing Festival showed a few jumping issues, which I hope were a blip and not a common trend.
His homework and schooling have gone great in the build-up to today’s race, and I believe he is in pole position to get day two off to a flyer for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.
The Brown Advisory will see L’Homme Presse step up in trip for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch. He will tackle Scotland’s leading hope, Ahoy Senor, and the West Country’s latest star, Bravesmangame.
HOY Senor needs to jump better, and Bravemansgame needs to handle the environment, having gotten very warm at a cold yet relatively quiet Newbury on his last start. All three have some ifs, ands, buts or maybes about them, so perhaps Capodanno is the safest each-way choice. An uncharacteristic fall at Leopardstown last time has added some value to his price.
The Coral Cup resembles the charge of the light brigade most years and is a difficult race to figure out, but for the sake of a hopeful choice Saint Felicien would be my selection.
Whatever the result of the Cross Country Chase is, it will get more airtime and column inches than ever before because of Tiger Roll’s swansong. Two Grand Nationals, a Triumph Hurdle, National Hunt Chase and three, maybe four Cross Country titles is a roll of honour for a superstar.
He is more reminiscent of a house cat in stature than his wild, aggressive feline title, but he has the heart of a lion, and I doubt many people will not want to hear the judge announce, ‘the winner of the fifth race is number seven, Tiger Roll.,
The Grand Annual follows and Killarney form could be vital. Embittered will be close to the top of the market, but he only beat Poseidon by half a length at the Kerry venue in August, and Poseidon will get four pounds from his old rival today. One is single figure odds, the other well into double digits.
So, the bumper! Plenty of English eyes will have turned away by now, but all the Irish ones will be glued to it. Facile Vega v American Mike, Patrick v Jamie, Willie v Gordon. I am in the Facile corner, but this might not be a two-horse race.
If you enjoy your stout, James’s Gate could be the one for you, or if you need forgiveness of sin, maybe it will be your Redemption Day.
