Pic D’Orhy on potential collision course with Shishkin following Silviniaco Conti win
- Planet Sport writer
- 14 January 2023
Pic D’Orhy stamped his class on the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton to give Paul Nicholls a third win in the Grade Two in four years and set up a potential clash with Shishkin next time out.
Fresh from success in the Peterborough Chase, Pic D'Orhy looked the one to beat and so it proved, as bar one mistake before the turn into the home straight he never looked in any danger.
Harry Cobden, enjoying a dream run for his boss in recent weeks with big wins on Bravemansgame, Hermes Allen and Tahmuras, oozed confidence throughout.
Coral cut the winner into 14-1 from 25s for the Ryanair Chase and on this form he would seem well worth his place in the field.
Paint The Dream attempted to keep tabs on him, but by the second-last had cried enough and was eventually beaten for second by Clondaw Castle.
Angels Breath, having his first run for Sam Thomas and first outing for three years, understandably ran keen before eventually being pulled up.
"I walked the course this morning and was just a bit worried about the ground, but he liked it," said Cobden.
"He missed the fourth-last but aside from that was very assured.
"He's improved and is a smart horse, but I think he's a few pounds off being a Grade One (horse).
"I don't think the Ryanair Chase will be his thing and there are good races at Aintree and the other festivals.
"Before that I think Ascot over two-miles-five (Ascot Chase next month) would suit him. He should be able to make the best use of his jumping around there."
Winning owner Johnny de la Hey said: "He has definitely grown up and he is a bigger, stronger horse. We were pretty worried as I had a few texts with Paul this morning about the ground and there was 10 millimetres last night and we thought that was going to be too soft.
"He has put it all together now and that opens up loads of options for us. We love that race (the Betfair Ascot Chase, which the owner won with Cyrname in 2019) and that would be the obvious choice to go to and then Aintree after that.
"It is probably the right way of saying it that he could nick one (a Grade One). He is rated 158 and he will probably go up a few pounds so he is not a million miles away from being a proper Grade One horse.
"Paul has got some good horses to benchmark him against and I'd say he is just below a Bravemansgame but we are still pretty happy. That is his fourth Grade Two and if we can keep picking those up, why not."
