Henrietta Knight is to give Calgary Bay another tilt at the Grand National after the nine-year-old put up a creditable weight-carrying performance to win the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.
Knight had felt 11st 11lb (75kg) might prevent Calgary Bay (12-1) from taking Sunday’s competitive handicap chase but she was pleased to be proved wrong.
Dominic Elsworth gave Calgary Bay a brilliantly judged waiting ride to land the spoils.
Held up at the rear of the field, the Yorkshire-born jockey brought Calgary Bay into the race steadily to make his challenge at the second last.
Fruity O’Rooney had led the field and still had every chance when Jamie Moore’s saddle slipped at that crucial stage.
Shakalakaboomboom was left in front, but Calgary Bay soon went on to score by two and a half lengths.
“With that big weight he had to patient with him. He likes it here and won his first chase on this track,” Knight said.
“The Grand National is the aim and I think he’ll go straight to Aintree now.
“We always wondered if he really stays three miles (4800m) but he has always loved this track and he was going to run in this race last year but it was called off.
“I looked at all the last winners and nothing had won with that weight.”
Nicky Henderson hopes Shakalakaboomboom has done enough to guarantee his place in the National line-up.
“His rating of 144 could be enough,” he said.
“If the handicapper gave us another 2lb (1kg) I wouldn’t mind and what I would probably do is let him canter round in a novice hurdle.
“He did everything right today except win.”