Royal intervention may help Shishkin to Gold Cup glory as Jonbon is aimed at the Tingle Creek

Nicky Henderson, who appears to have the Unibet Champion Hurdle under lock and key with odds-on favourite Constitution Hill, will take aim at Britain's classiest chases with leading pair Shishkin and Jonbon.

Successful in the Ascot Chase and Aintree Bowl last season, Shishkin is around 5-1 to win the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on December 26 and is 14-1 with William Hill for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, while Jonbon is set to start in the Betfair Tingle Creek before going down the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase path.

"The foremost aim for Shishkin is the King George, although I don't know by which route yet," Henderson said. "If that happened to go right it's pretty obvious what we'd do.