Bobby Grant left his trainer Peter Beaumont with an embarrassment of riches after securing back-to-back victories in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park today.
The nine-year-old sprang a surprise when overpowering the even-money favourite King`s Road by three and a half lengths in the #42,000 contest.
It leaves Beaumont needing to juggle options as he also has another talented staying chaser, Young Kenny, in his yard.
'Bobby Grant was great today and it`s a nice problem to have to decide which races to go for with him and Young Kenny,' said Beaumont.
Bobby Grant, ridden by Russ Garritty, was left in the lead at the 13th fence when The Last Fling unseated rider.
He was chased all the way up the straight by King`s Road, the winner of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup last month, but always just had the upperhand.
'He was never particularly happy last time but I knew he was very well today,' said Beaumont.
'I thought he would go well but didn`t expect him to give 4lb to a Hennessy winner.'
Bobby Grant, like Young Kenny, looks the right type to tackle the Martell Grand National this season and the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup is a possibility.
But he is not entered for the Coral Welsh National, for which Young Kenny is set to carry top-weight.
Beaumont will be looking around for races for Bobby Grant with next month`s Peter Marsh Chase - a race Beaumont has won twice previously - back at Haydock a possible target.
King`s Road remains a possible runner in the Welsh National despite his eclipse.
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies` wife Cath said: 'The race possibly came a bit too soon after the Hennessy and the ground was heavier than Newbury.
'We`ll take him home and freshen him up and see if he`s all right for Chepstow.'
Crocadee landed odds of 4-6 in the Henry VIII Novices` Chase but gave his supporters a few anxious moments in the process.
He got to the front three out but found it difficult to shake off the persistentCorniche.
Paul Flynn was forced to pull out all the stops and his mount had only half a length to spare at the line.
The jockey`s efforts resulted in him being given a three-day ban (December 18th-20th) for using his whip with excessive frequency.
Crocadee, owned by The Winning Line, was aimed at this event after it was switched from last Saturday`s abandoned Sandown card.
'The distance of this race two miles is not really right for him but we came after the prize money,' said The Winning Line`s Mark Gichero. 'He could have gone to Cheltenham today for less money and had a much harder race.
'We`d thought we`d throw him in here and see what happened. In the event he raced very lazily and the further he goes the better he`ll be.
'We do think he`ll go to the top but he needs experience and we`ll be looking for suitable smalll races.'
The Feltham Chase at Kempton over Christmas might be too competitive for Crocadee at this stage but he will be aimed at the Cheltenham Festival with the choice lying between the Cathcart Chase and Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
Martin Pipe is well clear in the Haydock trainers` list and he added to his tally as Tensile justified odds of 8-11 in the Tote Placepot Handicap Hurdle.
He pulled clear from the final flight under Tom Scudamore to defeat Master Tern by three and a half lengths.
'I thought Master Tern was going to come and do us but ours just stayed that bit better and Tom has given him an excellent ride,' said Pipe`s assistant Jonothan Lower.
Adrian Maguire caused some consternation when making an objection after his mount Fornaught Alliance was defeated by Foreshore Man in the Polglaze Novices` Handicap Chase.
He appeared to have limited grounds for arguing that the winner has taken his ground before the final fence. Not surprisingly the stewards threw out the objection.
Welsh March notched his first win for more than two years when coming home unchallenged in the Sport4cast.com Handicap Chase.
Maguire was on board Fiori, who translated his decent Flat form of this year to the jumps, with a 13-length victory in the Harry Haydock Novices` Hurdle.
