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Calgary Bay in the running for Aintree after Doncaster win
DOMINIC Elsworth can dream of Grand National glory after Calgary Bay powered to victory in Doncaster’s Sky Bet Chase to complete a memorable month for the Yorkshire jockey and trainer Henrietta Knight.
Victors at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, this success was even more impressive – Calgary Bay had to carry top weight after I’msingingtheblues was withdrawn, and the long-striding nine-year-old had to cover the most ground after Elsworth took the widest possible route around Town Moor.
The Guiseley-born rider’s post-race briefing was highly revealing. Though Calgary Bay had much ground to make up in the home straight, he knew the horse’s jumping would take him to the leaders in this prestigious three-mile contest.
“He needs a little bit of space because he is such a big horse. He needs room to land the other side of a fence,” explained the rider who had revealed in Saturday’s Yorkshire Post that the horse’s biggest obstacle was being asked to carry 11st 11lb in such a competitive field.
“If I had a lot of traffic in front of me, he would be landing on top of other horses. Not ideal. I had a lot of ground to make up turning for home but his jumping, at the fourth and third last, he was making five or six lengths up in the air.”
Elsworth said it was up to Knight and owner Camilla Radford to determine whether Calgary Bay is Grand National-bound – the entries close tomorrow – but he smiled broadly when conceding that it was “a very nice idea”.
And Knight suggested afterwards that all roads lead to Aintree after Calgary Bay, a fourth fence faller in last year’s National when ridden by Hadden Frost, pulled clear of Nicky Henderson’s Shakalakaboomboom and long-time leader Fruity O’Rooney who was still full of running when jockey Jamie Moore’s saddle slipped.
“With that big weight, Dominic had to be patient with him. He likes it here and won his first chase on this track,” said Knight, whose Best Mate won three Cheltenham Gold Cups.
“The Grand National is the aim. We always wondered if he really stays three miles, but he has always loves this track. I looked at all the last winners and nothing had won with that weight.”
This has been a vintage January for Elsworth, now back to his best after being sidelined for 14 months with concussion, and a previously out-of-sorts Knight whose husband, Terry Biddlecombe, is recovering from a stroke.
Biddlecombe, a former champion jockey, was not at Doncaster – he was “in tears” on the phone, said Knight – but Calgary Bay’s two victories were sandwiched by Somersby’s Grade One victory in Ascot’s Victor Chandler Chase.
And, while the Ryanair Chase remains his likely Cheltenham Festival target, Knight says she will consider the more prestigious Queen Mother Chase over two miles if the ground is soft. “He’s been in good form since Ascot and has been out in the field with Calgary Bay. They live next door to each other and are the best of pals,” she added.
Champion jockey AP McCoy won his first race since serious injury when Arkle prospect Kid Cassidy won a novice chase in a race marred by the early departure of Menorah.
Yet, despite suffering serius rib and lung injuries a month earlier, McCoy had to be at his strongest on the JP McManus-chaser whose jumping lacked fluency.
Champion Hurdle hero Hurriciane Fly is on course to defend his title after securing back-to-back victories in the Irish equivalent at Leopardstown yesterday.
Willie Mullins’s imperious performer, ridden by Ruby Walsh, won by six lengths.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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