James Bowen relishing Shishkin chance in Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday

James Bowen admits he is “honoured” to be given the ride on Shishkin for the rearranged Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday. 

The Nicky Henderson-trained gelding’s regular partner Nico de Boinville is set to be on board his stablemate, and last season’s Champion Hurdle winner, Constitution Hill in the Grade One test which has attracted a field of six runners.

An outing in the two-mile contest, which was re-routed from the Newcastle meeting which was lost to the weather last Saturday, only came on the agenda for Shishkin after he refused to race on his intended seasonal return in the 1965 Chase at Ascot last month. 

Bowen said on Thursday: “I’m really excited to be riding Shishkin and it is an honour to ride him.

“I didn’t know I was definitely on him until the declarations today as there was a chance I could have gone to Aintree, but it has ended up working out well for me. 

“I’ve ridden a few nice horses, but he would be by far the best horse that I’ve ever ridden in a race. It is great they have rescheduled the race, and it is great to be part of it.

“I’m not saying he is going to go and win, but hopefully he can run a good race to get his season up and running after what happened at Ascot.”

In order to prepare Shishkin for his first start over hurdles since winning the 2020 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the Welsh rider partnered the six-time Grade One winner in a schooling session over the smaller obstacles at Henderson’s Seven Barrows base on Thursday.

Despite it being more than three years since the Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned gelding has tackled a hurdle in public Bowen claims, he passed his test at home with flying colours. 

He added: “I schooled him back over hurdles and he was good. We jumped 10 in total as we jumped two lots of five twice and he was class over them.

“It was very much a surprise to us all what he did at Ascot and I’m not really sure why it happened. He has been good at home since then and hopefully he will be fine on Saturday.”

Shishkin is normally the headline act but on this occasion much of the attention will be focused on his stablemate Constitution Hill.

However, Bowen believes that with conditions set to be testing it can see Shishkin make the most of his assured stamina and make his presence felt.

Bowen said: “It takes a bit of the pressure off him with Constitution Hill being in there. It has been a while since he has run over two miles over hurdles but on that ground it will be a real stamina test and we know he has got plenty of stamina. 

“You Wear It Well and Not So Sleepy are going to go a good gallop so that adds to it being a test of stamina which will suit Shishkin. 

“This is a lot different to what he has been running in of late, but hopefully he can still give a good account of himself.

“This was not Plan A or Plan B. It is a case of it being Plan C, but it is a good stepping stone for him and his targets later on in the season.”