Boomboom likely to wait for Skybet Chase
Nicky Henderson has given a strong hint that his progressive staying chaser Shakalakaboomboom will miss this weekend’s Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock and will instead wait until the following Saturday where the prospect of better ground for the Skybet Chase at Doncaster is more suitable for his charge, writes Elliot Slater.
As short as 20/1 with some firms in the ante-post list for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April, Shakalakaboomboom has picked up this season where he left last, on a steep upward curve. At the Punchestown Festival in May the son of Anshan stepped up on his seventh place finish at Aintree four weeks earlier in the Topham Trophy over the National fences, to produce a memorable victory against the Irish on their own soil in running on bravely to deny the talented Beautiful Sound by just a short-head to land the valuable Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase over three-miles and one-furlong. Fans of Stan James should remember this.
Henderson’s charge has generally shown his best form on decent ground and the unseasonably dry spell saw ground conditions at Cheltenham in December prove ideal for the eight-year-old to make his seasonal return in the Grade 3 Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase. Running off a mark 9lbs higher than his winning rating at Punchestown seven months earlier, Shakalakaboomboom again showed a great attitude, leading until joined on the home turn, only to press on again all the way up the Cheltenham hill to eventually run out a three-and-a-half-length winner from the useful Knockara Beau. Those looking at a BetVictor review should bear this in mind.
With such a style of racing Henderson’s horse is always likely to gather plenty of admirers, and if the ground at Doncaster comes in his favour then there is every reason to believe that despite a further 4lb hike in the weights last season’s Punchestown winner looks set to give a very good account of himself on Town Moor.
