Henderson defends decision to skip Tingle Creek with Shishkin

Nicky Henderson has defended his decision not to run Shishkin in next weekend’s Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

The Grade One had been the nominated starting point for last season’s impressive Arkle winner, but Henderson announced on Wednesday that he was not entirely happy with his stable star.

Shishkin’s potential rivals at Sandown could have included one of three Willie Mullins-trained stars, with Chacun Pour Soi, Energumene or Allaho all in contention as the champion Irish trainer seeks to split up his leading two-mile lights.

Henderson’s decision not to run at Sandown has attracted plenty of debate, but he insists Mullins’ potential running plans had no impact on his thinking, with Shishkin’s best interests uppermost in his mind.

“He is fit, but I would not say his gallop on Saturday was brilliant. I haven’t just been that bit happy,” he said.

“His tracheal wash on Monday was iffy but not wrong. He had two canters today. I just know he could be better than he is at the moment. It is not fitness – I’m just not happy with him. That’s our job.

“People can think what they like. I am just doing my job and looking after one very good horse to make sure he remains a very good horse. If I ran him next week, I would probably ruin him for life.

“I want to run in it, but if my horse tells me not to (I won’t). It is just as important as any race, but if I’m not happy with him, the horse comes first, surely. Anyone, with any common sense, who has ever known anything about a racehorse, will tell you that.

“I promise I am not running scared of Willie Mullins!”

Willie Mullins has confirmed Chacun Pour Soi as an intended runner in next week’s feature.

The nine-year-old could finish only third when a hot favourite to provide the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history with his first victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last season, but bounced back to his brilliant best to beat esteemed stablemate Allaho at Punchestown in April.

Mullins has three entries for the Tingle Creek – a race he won for the first time with Un De Sceaux in 2016 – with Chacun Pour Soi joined by Energumene and Allaho.

All three are also in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase the following afternoon, but Mullins revealed on Friday Chacun Pour Soi will be crossing the Irish Sea.

“Chacun Poi Soi will definitely run in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown next week – I haven’t decided about my other entries yet,” Mullins told www.sportinglife.com.

Following the high-profile defection of Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin earlier this week, Chacun Pour Soi is likely to be a hot favourite to make a winning start to his campaign at Sandown.

His potential rivals include Paul Nicholls’ dual Tingle Creek winner Politologue and Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra, who beat Politologue in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham earlier this month and was a length ahead of Chacun Pour Soi when runner-up to Put The Kettle On in the Champion Chase.