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2022 Queen Mother Champion Chase

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I think he’s bottomed out

he didn’t run that great at Aintree last year after winning the Arkle. Looked flat, looked like he was ready for some time off

one to mull over, is it the way Nicky trains these top class horses? Sprinter (although some may say that was more biological, but Sprinter wasn’t great over in Ireland and was pushed harder than before), Altior, and now Shishkin, all have gone through a stage where they appeared to hit the floor. Does Nicky over protect them as novices? So when they do get into a fight, they push through a barrier they’re never really been through before…. it ends them?

Or are these 0.1% superstars just fragile, more that any other horse

just feels like a common trend is bullding up with Henderson top ones
 
opatcho said:
I think he’s bottomed out

he didn’t run that great at Aintree last year after winning the Arkle. Looked flat, looked like he was ready for some time off

one to mull over, is it the way Nicky trains these top class horses? Sprinter (although some may say that was more biological, but Sprinter wasn’t great over in Ireland and was pushed harder than before), Altior, and now Shishkin, all have gone through a stage where they appeared to hit the floor. Does Nicky over protect them as novices? So when they do get into a fight, they push through a barrier they’re never really been through before…. it ends them?

Or are these 0.1% superstars just fragile, more that any other horse

just feels like a common trend is bullding up with Henderson top ones
Click to expand...

He may have just had a bad day. It can happen. Shishkin's been in a battle with Abacadabras (who admittedly has very little battling qualities), Funambule Sivola made him work last year and he had to use everything in his locker to beat Energumene last time. Maybe that took out more of him than they thought last time and he hasn't recovered properly.

I'm sure he will come out at Aintree over 2m4 and win well and Nicky will blame the ground, even though Shishkin has won previously on boggy ground. He may just need a step up in trip as well.
 
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I always thought Sprinters best race was his Melling Road win so would be interesting to see how Shishkin does.

I wonder if Mullins would bring Allaho or Energumene over for it for another clash
 
It's impossible to know based just on this race and we'll have to wait on Aintree unless there is something wrong and that's his season. I've been concerned with his mid race action and was always worried he'd be caught out against top class rivals in an end to end gallop.

I'd like to see him up in trip and in proper races with a good number of other horses. Don't think we ever find out much in most of these 3 or 4 runner affairs.
 
Makes more sense, you don't get beaten after 50 yards because of the ground
 
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