Antree Thursday review: Shishkin proves stamina

Henderson joy as Shishkin lands Bowl

Shishkin (7/4 favourite) wore down Ahoy Senor to win the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl.

Racing over three miles for the first time, Nicky Henderson's charge needed nearly every yard of the trip to snare the Grade One prize and looked in trouble as the eventual runner-up still led the field a merry dance two out.

It was in the strides before the final fence that Shishkin began to wear him down and he landed running under Nico de Boinville.

That proved crucial. Alongside half way up the run-in, he went on to score by a length-and-a-half.

A Plus Tard briefly looked a threat to the principals turning for home but weakened into third.

Henderson said: “He’s a very good horse and that was a very good race, fair play to Ahoy Senor, he was going well in the Gold Cup when he came down. It was a genuine Grade One race. We were almost here to find out who was second best – without Bravemansgame we haven’t really solved that.

“He was so much better today than at Cheltenham. He does finish very well, he’s tough and he stays but he is getting quite lazy in his races. He’s won that by staying – his first race over three miles – so the trainer has got it wrong for the last two years, we know that!

“We admitted that after the Tingle Creek, he won a Grade One over two-mile-five at Ascot, we thought we were right staying at that trip in the Ryanair but to be honest he wouldn’t have won over any trip.

“There were a few issues, he was very sore all over and we’ve had lots of people working on him. We took the tongue tie off as he didn’t like that. We’ve got to tweak things and that’s our job. I think it’s body not mind.”

Henderson will now stick at three miles with Shishkin, with the King George VI Chase at Kempton an “obvious” target next term.

He added: “Three miles is where we’ll stay, we won’t be coming back. I know the Gold Cup is not much further than this but it is a different track. The obvious place is the King George, then take it from there. Whether you go Betfair and then King George, you are fairly limited in your options but the King George is the obvious target. He won’t go to Punchestown now.

“He used to be very straightforward but like everybody, he gets a bit creaky. We had the four weeks and it’s all worked. When you are racing over three miles you want them racing lazily, you don’t want them to be keen when you up them in trip. You’d rather see him wake up a little bit more, we’ll see, I might have a few more tricks yet.”

Lucinda Russell was more than satisfied with Ahoy Senor’s effort in defeat. She said: “I’m exceedingly proud of him and let’s face it, Shishkin is a fabulous horse who keeps galloping. It must have been hard for Brian (Hughes) who had never ridden him before, but he thought he had them at the last. I think he got tired eight strides before the last, he made that mistake and he was slightly on the back foot.”

Despite being beaten a total of 17 and a half lengths, Henry de Bromhead was pleased to see A Plus Tard finish his first race this year, having been pulled up in both the Betfair Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup on his only two starts.

He said: “Obviously he didn’t finish off the race as well as we would have liked but there were still positives. It was effectively his first run of the year, and Rachael (Blackmore) said he jumped and travelled well but got tired. She was happy with him until then and he’s heading back in the right direction. We are happier than we were and that will be it because he’s so much better going left-handed, and we won’t look towards Punchestown.”

Zenta edges Anniversary thriller

5/4 favourite Zenta edged out Bo Zenith after a thrilling duel for the Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle.

Between two out and the final flight it looked like the strong-travelling winner was set for a comfortable victory. However having got alongside the 6/1 runner-up she found it very hard to go past him and at the line the Willie Mullins-trained winner had only a short-head to spare.

Nusret ran on into thrid without threatening to land a blow.

Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “She travelled and jumped brilliant, we think she’s still improving. Mark just thought he got there a bit too soon. She travelled and jumped so well he’s just ended up in front sooner than he wanted. When he got there he felt he’d better keep going but he said she pulled herself up, she still had plenty left.

“She’s a lovely mare to go forward with. She’s not had much racing and she was very green the day she won her first race for us. That was why we ran her, just to get some more experience into her. I don’t know if she’ll go to Punchestown, we’ll see how she is when we get her home.”

Owner Olly Harris said of his runner-up: “He’s a proper horse, really good, and when he battled back I thought we had it. He’s going to be a two-and-a-half-mile chaser. We’ve looked after him but thought he had a massive chance today. We were a bit scared of Willie’s and it turned out that Zenta had a bit more speed than us. Ours is a horse for the future and we will put him away now.”

Banbridge delivers in opener

Joseph O'Brien landed the first race of the Randox Grand National as Banbridge beat Sant Roi in the Racehorse Lotto Manifesto Novices' Chase.

The Irish raiders had the Grade One contest between them going to the last and the winner, who lead going into the fence, was fluent over it and never in danger thereafter.

At the line the 2/1 chance had a length-and-a-half in hand of his rival with Visioarian a further four-and-three-quarter lengths away in third.

Stage Star cut out much of the running but faded to finish last of five.

O’Brien said: “JJ gave him a lovely ride and it’s great to come here with a fresh horse. He was a little bit sticky over the first couple, normally he’s quite exuberant but he was a little bit slow. Once he got into his rhythm he was lovely.

“We took him to Cheltenham early in the season to get experience and then we ended up missing it (Festival), but that’s the way it goes. We ran him in the Drinmore and we knew he was just a much better horse on better ground so there was no point in wasting runs on heavy ground.

“I think we probably saw the result of minding him earlier in the spring today. It was beautiful ground today, on the easy side but perfect spring ground. We declared on Saturday just in case the rain came and I wanted to walk the track. He won’t run.

“We’ll look at Punchestown. There’s no race over two and a half but while he could stay further in time, I’d imagine it might be back at two miles there because he’s not slow. Two would be more likely but I don’t know yet.”

Frank Berry, racing manager to Saint Roi’s owner JP McManus, said: “He was a little bit keen today, but he jumped well bar one. Mark (Walsh) said the ground was lovely and he handled it well, but he was just outstayed or outgunned by the winner. He’s entered in Punchestown and Willie (Mullins) will see how he comes out of this race and make a decision. We’d be looking forward to him next season, as he’s improved with each run this season.”

Jockey Mark Walsh added: “He ran well, with no excuses.”

Peter Fahey, trainer of the third-placed Visionarian, said: “I’m delighted with his run. He jumped great and he did everything well. I think he’s probably caught between trips. I think the two and a half probably stretched him in that grade of race and I think two miles is probably a bit short for him, but we’ll see how he is. We’ll make a plan after that but I’m delighted with the run. He goes on good ground and he hasn’t been over-raced, so we’ll see how he comes out of this and find something.”

Clermont claims Famous win

Famous Clermont provided top amateur Will Biddick with his first victory in the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase at Aintree.

The two-mile-five-furlong contest is the only race run over Grand National fences confined to amateur riders and has previously been won by the likes Nina Carberry, Jamie Codd and last year’s Grand National hero Sam Waley-Cohen.

Having impressed in winning hunter chases at Wincanton and Haydock in February before finishing sixth at the Cheltenham Festival last month, the Chris Barber-trained Famous Clermont was among the market principals at 9/2 and was among several still in with a chance leaving the back straight.

Biddick appeared keen to deliver his challenge late, but had no option but to allow his mount to stride to the front before the elbow and he only had to be nudged out from there home to win comfortably by just under five lengths.

Bennys King filled the runner-up spot, with Lough Derg Spirit third and last year’s winner Latenightpass a creditable fourth after giving a bold sight in front for a long way.

Biddick said: “I’ve been around for 20 seasons now and I think my first ride round here was Le Duc in 2009 (finished fifth). I’ve had a few seconds and I’ve been knocking on the door. It’s a big thing for the amateurs to win this race – here and Cheltenham are our Gold Cups. To do it massive. This horse has come up through the point-to-point ranks and has really got his act together in his last two or three runs. We had a go at Cheltenham to see if he would stay and it proved he doesn’t really get the extended three miles. Today he landed in front after the last and pricked his ears and I thought I’d got him beat, but he is a class act.”

Barber said: “It still hasn’t sunk in. Will gave him a peach of a ride. This has been the target since the start of the season and I have to thank Jamie who rides him at home and Rupert Nuttall, who has worked so hard on his jumping.

“I didn’t watch much of the race until they turned in. When they crossed the Melling Road I thought we might be starting to push but he came back into the bridle and kept on galloping.

“The owners have been offered a lot of money for him multiple times, but the plan will be to come back here in 12 months and try to do the double. All the signs before today were good at home. My grandfather (Richard Barber) won this race and was such a successful trainer. In everything I do I try to make my grandfather proud.”

Joy for Brennan in Nickel Coin

Dysart Enos ran out a wide-margin winner of the Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race under a jubilant Paddy Brennan.

The five-year-old had looked a smart prospect in winning her first two bumper starts for Fergal O’Brien, particularly when beating the highly-rated Queens Gamble in a Market Rasen Listed event on her most recent outing.

She faced another hike in class for this Grade Two test, but proved more than up to the task as she powered nine lengths clear of runner-up Golden Ace, allowing Brennan to punch the air passing the post – celebrating his birthday in style.

O’Brien said: “We were hopeful coming here as she was very impressive at Market Rasen but we maybe thought we were a bit flattered on the day there, maybe it didn’t suit Oliver’s horse (Sherwood, Queens Gamble) but she was phenomenal, that was beyond even what we could hope.

“I told the boys maybe we could sneak into the first three but what a run, she cruised all the way.

“I bought her at the Goffs Sale here last year and it’s Paddy’s birthday today so a big shout to him as well.

“She’s not the most straightforward so it’s a big team effort with her, Tom Broughton, who rode in the Foxhunters’ for us, rides her every day.

“Next year the programme should sort itself out, and she’s won a point-to-point so she jumps well.”

Dancing delight in Red Rum

Rachael Blackmore steered last year’s runner-up Dancing On My Own (15/2) to go one better in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase.

Henry de Bromhead’s nine-year-old had been well beaten in two previous outings this season, both at Fairyhouse, but a return to Aintree conjured a return to form as he finished strongly to deny the bold-jumping Douglas Talking by a length and a half.

De Bromhead said: “We took him to Cheltenham for the Festival but the ground had gone for him, so we took him home without running.

“He ran really well in this race last year. In fairness the Mulryans who own him have been very patient. Cheltenham was frustrating, but he must have better ground as it makes such a difference to him.

“He loves a battle, he’s tough as teak and we’ve always felt he’s better left-handed so I’d probably say no to Punchestown. We’ll enjoy today and make a plan. We have a decent record in this race.”

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