A DEVASTATED Nicky Henderson has confirmed legendary racehorse Shishkin has died suddenly aged ten.

The Cheltenham Festival hero and enormous fan favourite suffered an accident in his stable.

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He was due to leave for Punchestown in the morning where he was to race against Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup.

In an emotional post on Twitter, Seven Barrows boss Henderson – who endured a dreadful Cheltenham Festival but had just been getting things back on track with some winners – paid tribute to ‘our star’.

He wrote: “Tragically we have lost Shishkin this evening after he got cast in his sable and fractured his hind leg.

“Everyone involved with Seven Barrows, particularly his owners, Joe and Marie Donnelly, Jaydon, Nico and George 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 Chase at Ascot was probably his greatest.

“This is a very sad night. He was our star and we will never forget him.

“Thank you Shishkin for the wonderful memories.”

A horse becomes ‘cast’ in their box or stable when they roll or lie down too close to a wall or corner and cannot get up.

One fan described the sudden passing of a true hero of the sport as an ‘unimaginable loss’, while another was mourning the death of what they called an ‘unbelievable horse’.

Shishkin – owned by racecourse bookie turned £170million art collector Joe Donnelly and wife Marie – won just shy of £800,000 in an unforgettable career that included 14 wins from 21 races.

But he was so much more than that.

He was beloved by racing fans, for his brilliance over fences and grit in a finish as much as for his temperamental, chaotic character.

Shishkin, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Bowl at Aintree earlier this month, refused to race at Ascot last November.

That came just over a month before he famously slipped when landing just after two out in the King George – with the big Christmas race seemingly at his mercy.

But moments like that simply added to the mystique and charm of Shishkin.

There was also the ten-straight winning sequence that included the 2020 Supreme and Arkle in successive years.

And the simply jaw-dropping one-length victory over Tony Bloom’s Energumene in the 2022 Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

In one of the finishes of the ages, the two fighters finished 18 lengths clear of third-placed First Flow.

They had a right old ding dong up the straight, with Henderson’s star just prevailing over Willie Mullins’ former Champion Chase hero.

It is perhaps testament to his slightly haphazard brilliance that his final five results read 1-RR-UR-1-4.

That final victory coming in the Denman Chase at Newbury in February, where he saw off subsequent Ryanair winner Protektorat.

Shishkin was due to take on Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown feature on Wednesday.

His death will leave a massive hole in proceedings – but racing will come together to remember a true legend.