Two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Shishkin dies after freak stable accident

Shishkin, among the finest staying chasers within the nation, has been put down after fracturing a hind leg in an accident in his field on Sunday afternoon.

After a torrid final third of the season, coach Nicky Henderson may fairly have thought his luck had modified when Jonbon and Improbable Girl each gained at Sandown on Saturday.

Nevertheless, the 10-year-old Shishkin, who was on account of depart early on Monday for Eire the place he was meant to conflict with twin Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs for the primary time within the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday, was discovered to have fractured his femur excessive up whereas forged in his secure on Sunday afternoon.

Henderson, who has 4 others to run at Punchestown, stated: “He was an awesome character. He gained six Grade Ones and between the Supreme and the Arkle he was virtually unbeatable. The match between him and Energumene at Ascot was his best second. He was positive to be overwhelmed two out and we knew then we’d spent too lengthy at two miles. That was sheer guts which bought him residence, he knew the right way to battle.”

He added: “His crowning day was set to be the King George. All of us thought he’d win however he all the time had a trick up his sleeve and to journey himself up together with his personal foot was very Shishkin. He had just a few foibles, he refused to start out as soon as and was all the time tough at first of a season at residence. 

“Final season he spent a month with Zara Tindall doing dressage, which was a month nicely spent. He liked it. We’re going to Punchestown but it surely gained’t be the identical with out our flagship.”

Shishkin gained the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2020 and the Arkle Novices’ Chase the next 12 months.

Horses turn into ‘forged’ once they roll inside the confines of 4 partitions of their secure, get caught with their legs tucked up in opposition to the wall after which battle to rise up. In a yard as huge as Henderson’s, it’d occur a few times a month however usually they are often turned again over with out damage by employees or get themselves up.

Most horses are likely to get down for a roll simply after train once they have been sweaty and so they have a pleasant mattress of contemporary shavings or straw to roll in. Their beds are banked up in opposition to the foot of the partitions to assist cease them getting wedged and, at the moment of day, there are often numerous employees about however, clearly, that’s not the case at evening or throughout the early afternoons once they have their downtime.

“Generally a horse has been forged in his field at evening, once they have been unattended for 11 hours, as a result of there are scrapes on the partitions or a horse has a bruise or minimize,” defined Henderson. “However it’s often not more than a small niggle at worst.”

Fatalities are very uncommon though the Group One-winning sprinter Highfield Princess sustained the same damage throughout the winter and couldn’t be saved.