Nicky Henderson considered blowing hunting horn to get reluctant star to start
Nicky Henderson has revealed he has looked into an unorthodox method to try to make sure Shishkin jumps off in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase - a burst of noise from a hunting horn.
The top chaser was due to start his campaign towards a possible first crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the 1965 Chase at Ascot last month, which was to be a dress rehearsal for Kempton’s Boxing Day showpiece.
But he blew the audition and took no part after he span round and planted himself despite the best efforts of jockey Nico de Boinville and the arm waving of the assistant starter.
Shishkin has not run since after a planned appearance at Newcastle a week later did not go ahead when the meeting was abandoned and the ground was deemed too testing for a run in a rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown this month.
A 13-2 chance with William Hill, the nine-year-old is one of eight on target to run in the £250,000 race, for which Allaho is 7-4 favourite.
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Henderson is predicting a good run, if not a winning run, and is confident there will be no repeat of the Ascot antics.
As a result of a recent change in instructions, starting officials are no longer allowed to carry a crop with them to crack behind runners to encourage reluctant starters.
Nicky Henderson: expects Shishkin to run well (PA)Henderson said: “George (Daly, assistant trainer) will go down to the start with Shishkin as he knows him really well. We can’t do anything else.
“Charlie Brooks mentioned a hunting horn, but Barney (Clifford, Clerk of the Course at Kempton Park) won’t let me get up a tree and blow it!”
Clifford said: “Nicky did run it past me but I don’t think the BHA would have allowed it. They have taken the long tom away from the starters and this was his next idea. What if one of the others shied away from it?”
After 13mm rain on Tuesday, Clifford predicted the course could dry out by the day of the big race, which may not suit horses who need soft ground like Gerri Colombe.
“This is beautiful ground,” he said. “We would be calling it good to soft if we were racing today.
“I think I will be putting ‘good in places’ back in the going description by Saturday. There is rain around but not as much as forecast two days ago.”
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