The Clarence House Chase clash between Nicky Henderson's Shishkin and Willie Mullins' Energumene has been labelled as one of the greatest races of all time.

It was a ding-dong battle between the British and Irish superstars, with the relentless Energumene looking to have a straight course for victory before Shishkin fought back bravely to take the race on the line.
Shiskin's jockey Nico De Boinville and Energumene's rider Paul Townend linked hands after the race, in admiration and respect as to what had just happened.

Planet Sport lays out five reasons why Shishkin vs Energumene is great for the sport of racing.

5. Fans love a clash of the titans

Horse racing is a sport of multiple runners but through the years, equine battles have emerged between rival horses and racing fans just can't get enough of it.
From Seabiscuit vs War Admiral to Kauto Star and Denman, punters love two horses going toe-to-toe with no quarter given.
Nicky Henderson's Shishkin had been talked up as untouchable in the jumps game but the way Energumene went out to boss the Clarence House showed that Willie Mullins eight-year-old wasn't going to take a step back.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham 2022 could be the scene for Round 2 and the excitement is already building.

4. It shows the best of horse racing

For all the good racing news stories, there have been several in recent times which draw a far more depressing picture of the sport. From the BBC abattoir expose to the Bryony Frost bullying scandal, racing has had a terrible year when it comes to media headlines.

Yet, that classic race between Shishkin and Energumene showed the very best of racing, a sporting feast between two well cared for animals in peak physical condition.

The way the horses ran and jumped for fun, with supreme judgement of the fences, showed just how skilled a sport racing is.

An epic tussle that will be talked about for generations.

3. Even the bookies love it

Bookmakers took a sting with 5/6 favourite Shishkin beating Energumene in the Clarence House but they too can see the value to the sport of this growing rivalry,

After the race, William Hill's Rupert Adams said: "Everybody sided with Shishkin. It was a terrible result for us but, having said that, it was quite a short price compared to other races on the day, so it could have been a lot worse…It was a fantastic advert for the sport.

"All week it was building up to it and I would like to think the gate at Ascot was pretty impressive based on the big showdown. We just need to make the best of it in the lead up to Cheltenham to show people how exciting the sport can be."

David Stevens of Coral agreed, adding: "It was absolutely fantastic because for once it lived up to the pre-race billing. It was the sort of race we had been crying out for. We all wanted to see a clash like that away from the Cheltenham Festival and I think people would agree we need more of it."

It's not often you hear bookies who have taken a bashing, relishing the result of this epic clash.

2. It will raise attendances

Just like the England football team on tour around stadiums across the country, wherever Shishkin and Energumene pitch up, crowds will inevitably flock.

It wasn't a huge gate at Ascot for the Clarence House, thanks to the pandemic but the rematch at Cheltenham between Shishkin v Energumene could be in front of a huge live audience, with hotel rooms in the Cotswolds town already ballooning in value.

Hopefully, Henderson and Mullins will continue to take the pair to less fashionable tracks so that they can benefit from the uptick in attendances.

1. The Britain vs Ireland rivalry

Much has been made of the Irish domination of the Cheltenham Festival, with 82% of winners from the Emerald Isle at the Festival in 2021.

The traditional Britain and Irish rivalry is very much alive and well in the equine world, but now the Brits have a serious player in Shishkin, able to take on the Irish raider Energumene and win.

That has merely intensified the British-Irish racing rivalry with the sense that although Shishkin has won the Clarence House battle, the war is set for Cheltenham in 2022.

With the rethink on British jumps racing and Shishkin going great guns for Seven Barrows, it might well be that the mainland trainers are ready to push back against their Irish counterparts.

The Irish, of course, will have other ideas and will be targeting a continued control of Cheltenham, giving Shishkin vs Energumene that extra bit of spice.

Read more on Planet Sport: The top five greatest head-to-head two mile chases