Nicky Henderson targeting Punchestown with Shishkin after he 'just lacked a gear' in Bowl

Shishkin will “sing for his supper” with trainer Nicky Henderson eyeing the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup on May 1 for him after he finished fourth at Aintree on Thursday.

Shishkin had been among a host of horses with a chance of winning the William Hill Bowl Chase at the penultimate fence, but was left trailing in the closing stages, with Henderson admitting his former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle Chase winner did not have the pace of his opponents.

He said: “He lacks a gear to get out of there on this sort of track, but he's galloped all the way to the line. 

“The first thing I said to Nico [de Boinville] was, 'Surely we go to Ireland?' and he said, ‘Surely we will’. He's only had three runs all year – a non-event at Ascot, a King George he didn’t finish, a doodle around Newbury and today. He's a ten-year-old – he has to sing for his supper now, hasn't he?!”

While Henderson is eyeing Punchestown, connections of Bowl runner-up Ahoy Senor are likely to head to Sandown on the final day of the jumps season for the Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase.

Trainer Lucinda Russell said: “It's like he's won. His jumping was phenomenal, he travelled brilliantly. He's back. I think it's the time of year but he loves it round here, it's a flat track and that really suits him. 

Ahoy Senor battles with Gerri ColombeCredit: Michael Steele

“We'll look at the Oaksey Chase at Sandown. He's come of age now, he can travel, he doesn't have to be in front. He's a lot more tractable and his jumping was fabulous.”

Corbetts Cross overcame ponderous jumping in the early stages of the Bowl to take third on his first start outside of novice company, and Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said the team had been encouraged by how the seven-year-old had acquitted himself up in grade.

Berry said: "We were delighted with him. He maybe didn’t jump as quick as some of the more experienced ones, but he came there with his chance after the second-last. He maybe just got a bit tired, but Mark [Walsh] was delighted with him and hopefully he will learn a bit from that experience.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with him. He has more than held his own, and hopefully he will get a little bit quicker over his fences. He has a bit to find with the Gold Cup horses, but you would be hoping he would be going down that kind of road next season.”

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