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/ Timeform / 04 April 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Nicky Henderson is hoping to break his National duck this year.
"I think 10st 12lb is an area horses can win from and he's in good form. It's nice he's been there once before..."
Nicky Henderson is looking forward to Shakalakaboomboom flying the flag for his Seven Barrows base in the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday week...
The Lambourn trainer has been trying to win the world's greatest steeplechase for more than 30 years, without success.
However, in Shakalakaboomboom he has a horse that jumped the National fences when seventh in the Topham Chase last season, and this term his preparation has gone perfectly well so far.
"He's our intended runner and is all ready to go," Henderson told At The Races.
"After the Topham, in which he jumped beautifully, it was just that two-miles-six was a bit short for him.
"He went on to Punchestown where he won the Pat Taaffe Chase, then he came out at Cheltenham over three miles and a bit first time out this season and his stamina helped him a lot. He was second in the Great Yorkshire (at Doncaster).
"It's been a nice preparation, it's always been the plan and consequently he didn't go to Cheltenham.
"I think 10st 12lb is an area horses can win from and he's in good form. It's nice he's been there once before."
Henderson also has Burton Port in the National but the Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth is more likely to run in the Bowl at the big meeting on Merseyside instead.
"We've discussed it with Trevor (Hemmings, owner) and we are still undecided as he also has Ballabriggs in the National so it's more likely that Burton Port will run in the Bowl rather than the National," Henderson went on.
"He ran a very good race in the Gold Cup. We have National fences here and he has jumped them well but he's not a big fella and he would have a great chance in the Bowl.
"Trevor already has Ballabriggs in the National so it seems sensible to play it that way.
He's still in the National and he's there as a reserve if, God forbid, something went wrong with Ballabriggs. We could bring Burton Port into it, or think about it anyway."
Shakalakaboomboom is currently available at [29.0] for the Grand National, with the David Pipe-trained Junior heading the market at [13.0].
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