It was clear Shishkin was travelling and jumping with the zest he showed in his novice season

The Ascot Chase is a great opportunity for the two-and-a-half-mile horses to get a piece of Grade 1 glory outside of the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals, with the track at Ascot a proper test of both jumping and stamina. Usually the best horse wins, but they will know they’ve had a race!

The two-mile-five-furlong start at Ascot probably isn’t a favourite among jockeys, as it's a short downhill run to the first fence with a bend shortly afterwards. On days with a big field it can be a bit hairy with the hustle and bustle as jockeys fight for a position to the first fence and bend, though there were no such problems on Saturday with only six lining up for the feature race. 

Shishkin was in a lovely jumping rhythm from an early stage in the Betfair Ascot Chase

While the vibes from Seven Barrows were that Shishkin was back in great shape, Nico de Boinville would have started the race with a little trepidation as to what sort of form he was going to turn up in. That can sometimes have a jockey in two minds tactics-wise, but after only a few fences it was clear Shishkin was travelling and jumping with the zest he showed in his novice season.