Grand National Betting 
/ Timeform / 29 January 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Calgary Bay has now won his last two starts
"Dominic Elsworth gave Calgary Bay a brilliantly judged waiting ride to land the spoils..."
Henrietta Knight is to give Calgary Bay another tilt at the John Smith's Grand National after the nine-year-old put up a creditable weight-carrying performance in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster...
Knight had felt 11st 11lb might prevent Calgary Bay ([15.0]) from taking this competitive handicap chase, but she was pleased to be proved wrong.
And it is now straight to the National, a race in which he departed early last April but is available to back in this year's reneway at odds of ([30.0]).
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 ([30.0]) had led the field and still had every chance when Jamie Moore's saddle slipped at that crucial stage.
Shakalakaboomboom ([7.4]) 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," said Knight.
"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, but he has always loves 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 and he is currently available to back at ([23.0]).
"His rating of 144 could be enough. If the handicapper gave us another 2lb I wouldn't mind and what I would probably do is let him canter round in a novice hurdle as he's still a novice," said the Seven Barrows trainer.
"He jumped beautifully in the Topham last year and he stays.
"He did everything right today except win. I just want to make sure he's safe to get in the race, but I don't really want to go to Cheltenham on the way."
The supporting card provided several clues for the Cheltenham Festival, including Elsworth's other winner, Alasi ([3.8]).
She booked her ticket for a third trip to the big meeting with a narrow victory in the Sky Bet Mobile For Android Doncaster Mares' Hurdle.
A decision has yet to be made, however, whether Paul Webber's charge goes for the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle again or for the Jewson Novices' Chase, contests she can be backed at ([46.0]) and ([36.0]) respectively. She could prove an interesting outsider for the Mares' race at the Festival but she will have to improve to defeat the likes of Quevega and Voler La Vedette who currently head the field in Timeform ratings terms.
"If we chose the novice chase route at Cheltenham it would be the Jewson. Other than that it will be the David Nicholson again and we won't chase Quevega again like we tried last year," said owner Shully Liebermann.
Henderson's Kid Cassidy ([3.12]) might go to Cheltenham after giving Tony McCoy his first victory since returning from history in the Sky Bet Mobile For iPhone Lightning Novices' Chase.
"It didn't look like he needs to going round Cheltenham, but if we dropped him in and hunted round you never know. He has got the ability," said Henderson.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Rocky Creek ([3.94]) shortened into ([13.5]) for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle with William Hill when outpointing Gullinbursti in a race of the same name.
"We were disappointed when he got beat at Exeter, but he's shown his true colours," said jockey Daryl Jacob.
Trainer James Ewart will look at a race over the Mildmay fences at Aintree for Quicuyo ([17.0]) after the nine-year-old recorded his third win on this course in the Mirror Punters Club Handicap Chase.
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