Nicky Henderson has reported that Shishkin “flipped his palate” in a piece of work this week and will need 10 days off while the problem is resolved.
While the procedure is not a major one, a new plan for the rest of the season will now need to be mapped out.
Having won his first 10 completed starts over obstacles, Shishkin has been beaten in his last two outings – pulling up in last season’s Champion Chase and finishing a distant third behind Edwardstone on his reappearance in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.
Following his most recent eclipse, Henderson stated his intention to step Shishkin up in distance and has not even entered his 2021 Arkle winner for the Champion Chase this time around.
He does, however, hold entries in the Ryanair Chase and, intriguingly, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton next weekend had been mooted as a potential pre-Festival target.
Jaydon Lee on board Shishkin on the gallops at Nicky Henderson’s yard
Speaking in his Unibet blog on Friday, Henderson said: “After working earlier this week Nico (de Boinville) reported that Shishkin made a noise. We’ve never heard any noises from him before, not even a murmur, but Nico said there was a noise and we’ve investigated it and scoped him and he’d basically flipped his palate.
“It was clear and obvious. Essentially his palate is displacing, which is surprising as we’ve never heard it in a race but it’s highly like that it was indeed happening in a race. It’s a very easy fix but it’s 10 days off.
“We’ve got to do it, we’ll get on with it and get it done. It’s a common old problem and a very easy thing to fix, but it’s got to be done.”
