Game on for Shishkin vs Energumene in the Ascot Clarence House
- Planet Sport writer
- 20 January 2022
A huge clash between two heavyweights of chasing is in store on Saturday, January 22 at Ascot as Nicky Henderson's Shishkin and Willie Mullins' Energumene face off in the SBK Clarence House chase.
A clash of the titans is in store on Saturday at Ascot as star chasers Shiskin and Energumene do battle in the Grade 1 SBK Clarence House Chase.
Nicky Henderson's Shishkin made a breathtaking return to action in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton last month.
The eight-year old is a hot favourite to extend his unbeaten record over fences to seven in the Berkshire track's centrepiece event, but Energumene will likely put up a strong fight.
Since a third placed finish in a Navan bumper on debut, Willie Mullins' charge has won all seven starts and is five from five over fences.
A meeting with Shishkin in the Arkle at Cheltenham last March was only ruled out after Enrgumene suffered a setback.
Energumene recovered to win by 16 lengths at the Punchestown Festival and then looked as good as ever on his seasonal reappearance in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork in early December.
Due to the heat around the top two in the market, last year's winner First Flow, trained by Kim Bailey, will be a big price to successfully defend his crown.
The 10-year-old is high-class in his own right, as he proved once again when lifting the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on his only previous start this term.
The field is completed by Dan Skelton's outsider Amoola Gold who has won twice at Ascot before.
