‘We think we’re where we need to be for a mega clash’

After coming off second best to Oleksandr Usyk twice in the boxing ring, former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury decided that was enough and retired (again) on Monday.

Fortunately for racing fans, two knockout blows delivered by Nicky Henderson on Willie Mullins over Christmas have not been enough to deter the champion trainer from stepping up to fight again. So, seconds out, round three of Henderson versus Mullins with Jonbon and Energumene set to go head-to-head in the Grade 1 BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Both trainers have been here before, with Shishkin getting off the canvas to rally past Energumene in the closing stages to take an epic running of the race in 2022.

It was a “belter” of a contest, according to Henderson, who has regained his strut in recent months after a challenging start to 2024 and a near-wipeout at the Cheltenham Festival.

Yet despite Sir Gino and Constitution Hill repelling the Mullins-trained Ballyburn and Lossiemouth at Kempton, there has been no trash talk between the trainers in the build up to this weekend’s clash.

“It’ll be a fascinating race,” Henderson said. “We look forward to it. Willie and I have had a couple of scraps over Christmas, but we’re very much still talking. He’ll be trying to get his own back, but Paddy [Murphy], who rides Jonbon every day, is happy, and Nico [de Boinville] came and sat on him and jumped five fences on Tuesday, and he’s also happy.

“You go back to the Energumene and Shishkin race. It was built up to be something special and it was – it was a belter of a race and one for the history books. I know how good Energumene is but it’s now us who have to change the batting. Shishkin was never a two-miler at the end of the day, but Jonbon is. We think we’re where we need to be for a mega clash.”

Courtesy of Racing Post