Nicky Henderson-trained star Shishkin dies in tragic stable accident according to Racing Post

The shock news comes three days before he was set to take on Galopin Des Champs in a juggernaut clash at the Punchestown festival. Henderson’s post on Sunday night read: “Tragically we’ve lost Shishkin this evening after he got cast in his stable and fractured his hind leg. “Everyone involved with Seven Barrows, particularly his owners, Joe and Marie Donnelly, Jaydon [Lee, Shishkin’s groom], Nico [de Boinville] and George [Daly, Henderson’s assistant] are obviously devastated that such a great horse, friend and warrior has gone.

“He was due to leave for Punchestown tomorrow morning but sadly this is now not to be. He was an absolute superstar and his CV is testament to that – except the King George is not in it even though we believe it should have been. “The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Arkle were his Cheltenham highlights, but the battle with Energumene in the Clarence House at Ascot was probably his greatest.

“This is a very sad night. He was our star and we will never forget him. But he was pulled up in a Champion Chase rematch at the Cheltenham Festival two months later, and was found to have suffered from a rare bone disease.

He won 14 races from 21 starts, earning £798,668.