Shishkin must demolish Protektorat and Hitman to prove he can challenge Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup

IN Shishkin we trust! After a refusal and unseat this season to some that might just sound a bit odd.

But as British trainers desperately try to find a serious Cheltenham Gold Cup threat to Irish ace Galopin des Champs, all eyes are on Nicky Henderson’s class act at Newbury on Saturday afternoon.

PAShishkin will have to roar back to his best at Newbury to go to the Gold Cup with any hope[/caption]

Shishkin faces four rivals in the Grade 2 Betfair Denman Chase, and to be quite frank only a demolition of Protektorat and Hitman will keep confidence high that he can be a potent challenger to Willie Mullins’s star next month.

In ante-post lists, Shishkin is 10-1 for the Gold Cup, the same price as recent Lingfield victor L’Homme Presse.

My Saturday Nap

ALTOBELLI (3.15 Newbury)

Looks well-handicapped and could be primed to win a big pot. He will like this ground too.

The only other British possibles given any chance are Grand National hero Corach Rambler and Bravemansgame both at roughie prices of 20-1.

Defending champion Galopin des Champs trades at 10-11.

Shishkin has always been a class act, landing the Supreme and Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival during his younger days.

At the end of last season he stepped up in trip and banged in the Grade 1 Aintree Bowl.

This term, though, has been problematic as most of you will know.

A refusal at Ascot was followed by an unseat of regular partner Nico de Boinville when stumbling just after two out in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

We could argue all day whether he would have beaten eventual winner Hewick in that event, but my feeling is that he would have come out on top.

At the age of ten Shishkin is unlikely to be getting any better, but his rating of 173 is only 3lb below his highest and he’s clearly still a force with only 19 runs under his belt.

De Boinville recently came back this week from injury and told me he was “honestly, A1” which bodes well. I hope he hacks up as he’s such a fascinating character.

As for Protektorat, well he’s no mug and gives us all a good line on L’Homme Presse having chased that horse home at Lingfield.

The Dan Skelton runner has good and not so good days, but he’s been placed in a Gold Cup behind A Plus Tard and is no mug at all. He also goes well in deep ground. Shishkin must destroy him.

The big betting race of the day is the Betfair Hurdle, a Grade 3 over an extended two miles and a race won by some terrific class acts in the past including Deep Sensation, Large Action, Make a Stand and My Tent or Yours.

Nicky Henderson holds a strong hand as he tries to repeats the successes of the latter, Geos (twice), Landing Light and Sharpical.

Iberico Lord looks a big player back on juicy ground, while Under Control was far from disgraced at Doncaster.

Luccia is a tough mare who goes with plenty of give while Doddiethegreat has done little wrong.

I’m hoping for a bold show from ALTOBELLI, who has been knocking at the door this season at both Ascot behind Knickerbockerglory and Luccia.

He stays on the same mark as last time of 132 and might well enjoy going back on ground with plenty of give rather than the good last time.

His former as a youngster was all in soft. Massive eachway chance for Johnny Burke and Harry Fry.

Elsewhere at Newbury there is a chance for Emitom to bounce back to winning form in the Betfair Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle over three miles.

Many of you will remember Emitom as a decent horse for Warren Greatrex, but he’s with Alan King now and has been running with some zest of late.

He didn’t run badly at Ludlow last time behind Saint Davy and while up 2lb for that he’s still way below his highest mark of 155.

Has form at Newbury of 1-1-2 and goes in soft ground. A decent eachway chance under Tom Cannon.

I’m lucky enough to bring you all the best interviews from Newbury on Sky Sports Racing, but of course it’s now just over a month until Cheltenham and this afternoon will be close to the last chance to get some clues for Festival glory.

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