Ebony Light added fuel to Ginger McCain's dream of making Grand National history with a stunning 33-1 success at Haydock.
Despite being 22lb out of the handicap, the outsider of five came home an unchallenged nine-length winner of the Peter Marsh Chase in the hands of 5lb claiming conditional Steven Craine from leading Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Kingscliff.
The ten-year-old now heads to Aintree with stable companion Amberleigh House as McCain bids for a record fifth triumph in the world's greatest steeplechase.
Amberleigh House took the honours in 2004 to add to the three wins by the legendary Red Rum in the 1970s.
''This year's National is going to be my grand finale and we are going there with two very good shots. I'm seriously looking forward to it,'' said the veteran trainer.
''He used to be a bit of a hairy jumper and we fancied him at Wetherby a fortnight ago when he came down.
''Generally he has come into his own this season. I don't know why. He's sort of matured, grown up and all credit to my son Donald. He has ridden him in all his work and we knew he was very well in himself.
''The boy (Craine) had three winners on Friday so he had his tail right up. He gets on well with him and has ridden him round Aintree in the Grand Sefton - he made one or two errors, but got away with it, and at least he's had a taste of Liverpool.
''Make no mistake that is where he's going now.
''I saw the handicapper at Wetherby and told him not to be too hard on the old horse (Amberleigh House) and give him 10st 5lb or 6lb.
''I said that would give him a decent chance and the other one (Ebony Light) can you put him up 5lb? The handicapper replied that he had to win another race first - and he's gone and done it now. He's got to put him up 5lb or 6lb for that.
''We were flying a bit high, but the top three were all suspect in some way or other.''
The performance made the bookmakers sit up and take notice, with Ebony Light earning a quote of 33-1 for the National with totesport and William Hill, while Ladbrokes only go 25-1.
Ably ridden by Craine, Ebony Light lay handy in second place in the early stages as Lord Transcend, hot favourite to repeat last year's win, set the pace.
However, he could not maintain the gallop and Ebony Light made a surge for glory five fences from home.
Kingscliff, who had been well behind at the start of the second circuit, plugged on after being left in second when Lord Transcend was pulled up before the final fence, but was unable to make a serious cut into the leader's advantage.
Truckers Tavern stuck on for third, some 14 lengths behind further adrift.
Craine said: ''He's a horse who gets the trip well and he loved the ground. He was getting a lot of weight off good horses, but it was a lot to give away on this ground. I knew he'd keep going so that's why I took the bull by the horns and went five out.''
Cashmans pushed Kingscliff out to 10-1 from 6s for the Gold Cup.
His trainer Robert Alner said: ''We were delighted he ran on at the end as I thought he was going to be pulled up."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article