Shishkin and Gerri Colombe clash in thrilling Aintree Bowl - plus Emmet Mullins is seeing 'very good signs' from novice Corbetts Cross

When Shishkin became one of Nicky Henderson's big-race absentees at Cheltenham, it was yet another chapter in a topsy-turvy season for Britain's highest-rated chaser. 

Denied the opportunity to go for the Gold Cup due to an unsatisfactory scope, Shishkin will aim to bring some much-needed cheer to the deflated Henderson team in a race he won so resolutely last year.

Since then he has refused to race at Ascot, has stumbled dramatically after the second-last and unseated Nico de Boinville when leading the King George field and has enjoyed a comparatively serene Gold Cup prep victory in the Denman Chase.

"He's had a funny season – most of it wasn't his fault but some of it was," said Henderson. "Ascot was his fault, Kempton wasn't his fault. You can honestly say he was unlucky not to win the King George and then Newbury was fine. 

"I hope we come into the race like he has been all season. Just coming into Cheltenham week, one thing wasn't quite right about him so we had to say 'No'."

The highest-rated runner in the line-up with a mark of 173, Shishkin was reborn as a three-mile chaser when winning the Bowl 12 months ago with a strong staying display to reel in Ahoy Senor over the furthest distance he has raced.

On his only other visit to Aintree, he won the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase in 2021.

"He was great in this race last year," said Henderson, whose previous Bowl victory came with the equally mercurial Might Bite in 2018.

"He stays three miles, there's no doubt about it. He was going to stay three around Kempton, he was going away from them in the King George having forced it from four out, so we're hardly frightened about stamina. I'd prefer better ground for him because he's a classy horse."

RP Recommends: how to bet on the Aintree Bowl

By Tom Park, audience editor

Gerri Colombe and Shishkin lock horns here in what promises to be a terrific race. bet365's Price Promise, along with their BOG concession, makes them the standout for whoever you fancy. bet365 are also, like many others, going three places in this seven-runner race and I am going to take a chance on Ahoy Senor, who always produces his best at this meeting. He's been disappointing this season, but the step back up to 3m1f should suit and he looks a big price to make the first three. He's one I could see drifting from his current 12-1 too, so taking advantage of the BOG might prove savvy.

• RP Recommends: bet365

Gerri Colombe out to back up fine Gold Cup second

Last year Gerri Colombe managed to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Cheltenham to win at Aintree and he will aim to do the same again following his excellent second in the Gold Cup.

It is going to be a much tougher task than when he followed a short-head reversal in the Brown Advisory to score easily as the 4-6 favourite in the Mildmay Novices' Chase, but at least Galopin Des Champs is not standing in his way.

Gerri Colombe has beaten all bar Galopin Des Champs on his last two starts as he also trailed home the supreme stayer in the Savills Chase over Christmas.

The Gordon Elliott-trained eight-year-old got much closer when beaten three and a half lengths in a career-best effort at Cheltenham last month.

Gerri Colombe: chased home Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He ran a cracker in the Gold Cup and obviously bumped into a special horse there," said Elliott. "He was impressive at this meeting last year in a novice chase and everything has gone well in the lead up to this."

A bold show in the Gold Cup has not generally acted as a precursor to Bowl success, although Might Bite managed to go one better than in the Cheltenham showpiece in 2018 when there was exactly the same 27-day gap between races and he had to recover from the most gruelling of duels with dour stayer Native River. 

Elliott seems happy the race has not left a mark as Gerri Colombe targets a fifth Grade 1 victory. He said: "He did a lovely piece of work the other day and I couldn't have been any happier with what I saw there. He goes there in great form."

Corbetts Cross 'in at the deep end' 

Trainer Emmet Mullins won Aintree's biggest race with a novice chaser, so nothing was going to put him off pitching last month's Cheltenham Festival winner Corbetts Cross into Grade 1 open company.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old strolled home by 17 lengths in last month's National Hunt Chase for Mullins, who won the Grand National two years ago with Noble Yeats.

Mullins said: "He’s absolutely thrived since Cheltenham. He’s even heavier now than he was going to Cheltenham, which is a very good sign. We’ve always thought the world of him and, after the season he had before Cheltenham, it was nice to see him put it all together there. 

"That was his main aim all season so we’re in bonus territory with him now."

Corbetts Cross: scored at last month's Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Mark Cranham

What they say

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Ahoy Senor
He's come out of Cheltenham really well and I think he'll really enjoy going back to Aintree. He likes a flat track and going left-handed. He's always run really well there but that's probably been because the ground has been good to soft, and we'd prefer the ground to be a bit quicker. But he ran well in the Brown Advisory [in 2022] on soft ground, so he's not without a chance.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Bravemansgame
He could do with it drying a little bit but it's the same for them all. He seems in good heart and we're trying cheekpieces just to sharpen him up a little bit. He ran okay in the Gold Cup on the ground. This is different and it's a bit more like the King George, which he ran very well in. We think he's a big price.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Thunder Rock
I'm not saying he'll win but I don't think he should be such a big price. He'll be dropped in and ridden to run well. He's fresh and I don't see why he can't pick up some good prize-money the way he's going to be ridden. He's got plenty of ability if it clicks and if he finishes in the first three it'll be no surprise to me, albeit he probably does need to step up a bit.

Read our Thursday previews

1.45 Aintree: 'There are no negatives' - Dan Skelton confident of big run from Grey Dawning in Cheltenham rematch with Ginny's Destiny 

2.20 Aintree: Sir Gino 'will have to stand up and be counted' says Nicky Henderson - can he put an end to the yard's poor run? 

3.30 Aintree: Irish stars dominate the market but both have questions to answer in intriguing Aintree Hurdle 

4.05 Aintree: 'Going back in trip is interesting' - analysis and key quotes for first look at National course in Foxhunters' Chase 

4.40 Aintree: 'We've aimed him at this all season' - distance questions offer hope to unheralded sorts in the Red Rum 

Four Grade 1s kickstart Aintree's Grand National meeting in style - and it's the moment of truth for Nicky Henderson 

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