A last-gasp winner at Ascot last time out, the seven-year-old only went up 2lb to a mark of 141, with Williams feeling he may need to go up a few more to ensure a run at Aintree.

With that in mind Williams will send him north to Doncaster for a race he won on Big Fella Thanks in 2009 for Paul Nicholls.

“Deep Cave will go to Doncaster on the 24th for the Great Yorkshire Chase, it’s worth £100,000 this year,” said Williams.

“I won it as a jockey on Big Fella Thanks and came close to winning it as a trainer with Cap Du Nord a few times.

“He’s only gone up 2lb and I know he only just won, but it’s the only time I was praying for the handicapper to put us up more than he did so he could get in the National. I think 145 got in the National last year and we’re 141 now.

“The same owners had Win My Wings who looked a National horse, but unfortunately she got injured. But we’ll try to get there with this lad.

“He’s only run five times over fences now and two of those were falls in France so he hasn’t had much experience, if he doesn’t get in he’s only turning eight so will have other chances.

“Ground doesn’t make much difference to him, we’ve a lot of belief in him and Jack (Tudor) loves him. At Ascot he looked like all he does is stay, so the Grand National is the dream.”

He added: “I’m just so pleased for the owner (Sue Howell and her family) as they are our biggest supporters. You can wait years and years for a good horse, but they had Win My Wings and now a few years later they’ve got this lad.”