Shishkin is the clear frontrunner for Saturday's Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury, with odds of 2/5, according to the sponsors. Despite encountering a setback with a refusal to race at Ascot, Nicky Henderson's star was leading the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day before stumbling and unseating jockey Nico De Boinville two jumps from the finish. The main threat to Shishkin's chances is Protektorat, who finished as the runner-up in the Fleur De Lys Chase and is set to represent the Skelton team, with odds of 3/1. Paul Nicholls' sole entry, Hitman, is another contender in the mix, with odds of 7/1. The potential field is completed by Does He Know and Sam Brown.
Henderson expressed his confidence in Shishkin, stating, "He’s very much on course for Saturday, I’m very happy with him. Considering everything, Kempton was his first run of the year and it was going to be a very good run. It might have been a winning one for all we know. Either way, it was a great comeback run, he’ll have tightened up a bit for that, he’s ready for this weekend and away we go, I hope."
In the Betfair Game Spirit Chase, Boothill is currently the slight favourite at 6/4, with Edwardstone close behind at 2/1. Harry Fry's charge fell during his attempt to secure a hat-trick at Kempton over Christmas. Meanwhile, Alan King's Edwardstone showed excessive keenness when stepped up to two-and-a-half miles in the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at the same track last month. The other entries include last year's winner Funambule Sivola (4/1), Editeur Du Gite (5/1), Calico (10/1), and Amarillo Sky (14/1).