NICKY HENDERSON has threatened to pull Shishkin out of his blockbuster Betfair Tingle Creek return on account of the ground.
In a depressingly familiar theme for this season, the going might not be soft enough for the former Champion Chase hero to run.
Punters might be starved of the chance to see Shishkin make his return in the Tingle Creel
Shishkin has not been seen since pulling up in the Champion Chase at the Festival in March.
With no rain forecast for the next few days, selective watering has taken place on the Esher track.
Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said the ground is currently good, good to soft in places.
Henderson pulled Constitution Hill out of his intended return at Ascot before the Champion Hurdle fav bolted up a week later in the Fighting Fifth.
He says a similar fate could await Shishkin.
Henderson said: “I cannot believe Sandown is going to go from abandoned half-way through the last meeting to fast ground in less than four weeks.
“The intention is to run Shishkin but if it’s not right for him we won’t.
“We’re very happy with him, as we are with Jonbon, but if the ground got quick neither would run.
“There’s no rain in the forecast and it would have to be on the easier side, so we’ll have to wait and see later in the week.
“It’s a super race at the entries and Nico felt he was spot on when he rode him on Friday.”
Betfair have seen huge market swings since Hendo’s words – and with Alan King also saying Edwardstone might not run.
Spokesman Barry Orr said: “All the market changes are obviously weather.
“Shishkin has gone from a shade of odds-on 10-11, to 6-5 against, while Greaneteen, has contracted to 6-5 from 7-4.
“Edwardstone is another on the slide and is available at 5-1, almost double his initial price and Gentleman De Mee, has halved in price to 9-2 from 9-1.”
Betfair Tingle Creek – Betfair odds
6-5 Shishkin
6-5 Greaneteen
9-2 Gentleman De Mee
5-1 Edwardstone
10-1 Captain Guinness
14-1 Funambule Sivola
20-1 Dunvegan
