Tag Archive for: Donald McCain

McCain thinks right is ‘wrong’ for Minella Drama

Minella Drama is likely to be kept away from right-handed tracks in future having been pulled up in the Peterborough Chase.

He won the Old Roan Chase from Hitman and Ahoy Senor on his seasonal reappearance, going one better than 12 months previously.

With a rating of 150 he is quite hard to place, so Donald McCain pitched him into Grade Two company at Huntingdon but he did not look happy from halfway.

He now has options at Wetherby and Aintree over Christmas.

“He didn’t really have a race to be honest,” said McCain.

“We always had it in our heads that because he jumps a bit right, he’s going to be a better horse going right-handed.

“Actually, we’ve come away from the other day thinking that is completely wrong, because what he does is take a shift to his right when he jumps and that takes him away from other horses.

“All his best form is left-handed, when he can do his own thing. He went down the inner on Sunday and hit the uprights of the fences a couple of times by shifting right, he just didn’t like the whole experience.

“Brian (Hughes) could have popped him over the last few and picked up the prize money but we’ve had a rough few weeks with a few horses getting hurt, so the most important thing was getting him home in one piece.

“We’ll see how he is but there’s a handicap at Aintree on Boxing Day or the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby over three miles. They are both possibles.”



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McCain readying Maximilian for chasing debut

Donald McCain’s Maximilian is on course to make his chasing debut in the coming weeks.

The eight-year-old has not been seen since chasing home Apple Away in the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle in April 2023.

Prior to that he had won the River Don at Doncaster beating Stay Away Fay, who subsequently went on to win the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.

Hopes were high he would make his presence felt among either the staying hurdling division or the novice chasers last season, but he was forced to miss the whole campaign.

He is now back in full training, but McCain does not want to put a definite timeframe on his comeback date.

“There’s no set timeline at the moment, but he’s in fast work now,” said McCain.

“I’d love to get him away somewhere before we think about going racing, but he’s coming along fine.

“We brought him back in later than the others as he needs cut in the ground anyway, so he wouldn’t have been running in the autumn.

“It will possibly be just after Christmas or just into the new year when he’ll be racing, I would say. He’ll be going chasing as time is getting on now.

“He only ever does what he has to do at home but he looks great and seems fine, so all is good. He’s just a very straightforward, no frills horse at home.”



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Minella Drama booked for Peterborough performance

Minella Drama will bid for a second successive Grade Two success in the TrustATrader Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on Sunday.

Donald McCain’s charge notched his first victory since February of last year when landing the Old Roan Chase at Aintree in late October, beating a strong field that included Ahoy Senor and Stage Star.

Minella Drama has not been seen in competitive action since due to a lack of suitable opportunities, but is poised for a trip to Cambridgeshire this weekend.

“He’s definitely an intended runner, there’s literally nowhere else we can go,” said McCain.

“To be honest, if the ground does deteriorate it doesn’t matter as he’ll go on good ground and he’ll go on heavy ground, it makes no odds.

“We’ve just been waiting for any opportunity to run him, we’re very happy with him, he’s in great nick and he’s ready to run.

“He doesn’t seem to like going south for some reason, but Huntingdon is not like Ascot and those sorts of places and it’s the only race for him.

“Touch wood we’ve had a really smooth run since Aintree, we just took our time and he’s in great order, so we’ll go and have a crack and see.”

Protektorat and Harry Skelton after winning the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham
Protektorat and Harry Skelton after winning the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham (David Davies/The Jockey Club)

Minella Drama is one of seven entries for the Peterborough Chase, with Dan Skelton’s Protektorat setting the standard on ratings.

Winner of the 2022 Betfair Chase and the Ryanair Chase last season, the nine-year-old can be expected to improve from his comeback sixth under the welter burden of 12st in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month.

Jamie Snowden could saddle the Paddy Power runner-up Ga Law, while the Paul Nicholls-trained Ginny’s Destiny has the opportunity to bounce back from being pulled up in the same race.

Djelo (Venetia Williams), Nickle Back (Sarah Humphrey) and Soul Icon (Keiran Burke) are the other contenders.



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Grand Sefton not on the agenda for Minella Drama

Old Roan hero Minella Drama will not contest the Grand Sefton Chase back at Aintree next weekend, but a spin over the National fences is not ruled out at some stage.

Donald McCain’s nine-year-old returned to action this term with an endearing front-running success on Sunday, where he took Grade Two honours at 3-1 under Brian Hughes.

It was an eighth victory in a career that has seen the popular gelding finish out of the money just twice in 23 starts over both hurdles and fences.

He does hold an entry for the Grand Sefton on November 9, which would be a first experience of the Grand National fences, but despite coming out of the Old Roan well the race comes too soon and he will be aimed elsewhere.

“He’s very well, he’s cantered this morning and he’s fresh as paint,” said McCain on Friday.

“It was nice for the horse as much as anything, he’s run some really good races and we’ve always thought there was a big day in him.

“It was great for him to have that big day because he deserves it, he’s earnt it.

“He always gives 100 per cent, he’s a star. I’m trying to look for races for him but he’s not easy to place, we’ll make a plan for him and there are one or two options, but nothing is set in stone.

“Even though he’s come back very well and I don’t want to rush to go racing again with him.

“We won’t confirm him for the Sefton, it’s a bit soon to go there but we entered him with a view that it (the Grand National track) would be an option for him. I wouldn’t send him to the old one, but with the modern day National track, I definitely would.”

McCain also provided an update on Maximilian, who showed much promise as a novice hurdler when winning the River Don ahead of Stay Away Fay and placing second in the Sefton at Aintree.

Sky Bet Chase Racing – Doncaster Racecourse – Saturday 28th January
Maximilian after winning the River Don (Richard Sellers/PA)

Injury then interrupted his career and saw him miss last season, but he has since returned to the early stages of training and may take to jumping fences this season.

McCain said: “He’s cantering, he didn’t come back in until a bit later so he’s cantering away and, touch wood, at this stage I’m very happy with him.

“It’s highly likely he’ll go over fences I would imagine, but it’s too far away now so we’ll not put a date on it and just focus on keeping him healthy.”



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‘Magic’ – McCain delight as Minella Drama bags deserved big-race prize

Donald McCain’s Minella Drama went one better than 12 months ago to land the Virgin Bet Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase with a tremendous display from the front at Aintree.

Ridden by Brian Hughes, Minella Drama has plenty of form at a track the McCain name will always be associated with and the former champion jockey immediately sent his mount forward in the Grade Two contest, leading along the Paul Nicholls-trained pair of 2-1 favourite Stage Star and Hitman.

Both Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor and Dan Skelton’s Grand Annual winner Unexpected Party raced kindly for their riders anchored at the back of the field, but the eye was always watching Minella Drama as he jumped slickly from fence to fence.

The 3-1 shot was still leading as the field entered the home straight and he was asked for maximum effort by Hughes after two out as the challengers loomed.

However, the nine-year-old responded to his rider’s every urging and stuck his head down gamely to see off Hitman, who was a length and three-quarters adrift in second.

McCain said: “It’s magic, he’s been a wonderful little horse who has deserved his big day.

“There’s no better place for him to do it. It’s what it is all about and if we could pick and choose where for him to win, this would be the place. He’s got local owners and obviously we’re a local yard so it’s very special.

Minella Drama produced a great round of jumping
Minella Drama produced a great round of jumping (Nigel French/PA)

“He’s got some good form here and was second in the Grade One novice hurdle so obviously likes the place and I’m sure we will be coming back here at some point.”

He was handed a quote of 16-1 by Paddy Power for the Grand Sefton Chase over the Grand National fences back at Aintree next month, but McCain has no particular target in mind at this stage having won his local track’s first major race of the new season.

He continued: “I’ve always been inclined – because he is so tough – to overrace him a bit, but I don’t know whether I should take a patience pill now he’s won his big one and give him chance to regroup. We’ll get home and sort it out and there’s no great plan.

“He hates turning right out of the yard to go south, he likes going north. It sounds ridiculous, but he lost the plot down at Ascot last year, I could have not even saddled him up he was that upset beforehand. There’s no rhyme or reason to it that’s just him, so we will take our time.”



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National glory for Amberleigh House was so special to Aintree’s most famous family

It is hard to mention the Grand National without the name McCain following close behind and 20 years ago the race’s most famous family wrote their name into the Aintree record books for a fourth time thanks to Amberleigh House.

Ginger McCain was arguably the man who helped shape the destiny of the world’s most great steeplechase, with his charismatic personality and masterful handling of the great Red Rum breathing life into the marathon event at a time when many questioned its existence.

McCain had already tasted National glory on three occasions with the legendary Red Rum by the time Amberleigh House set about trying to conquer Aintree, but it had been over 30 years since the horse that had defined the Southport handler’s training career had first etched his name onto the Grand National’s roll of honour.

The McCain family of course had heard every tale possible about Red Rum, but Amberleigh House – who was very much a part of the family and had a love of Aintree befitting of a firm McCain favourite – would cement his decorated trainer’s legacy and give Ginger’s son Donald just a glimpse of how the halcyon days of Red Rum may have been.

“I remember everything about that day and we were all very involved with Amberleigh,” said Donald McCain.

“I rode him out every day and my wife looked after him every day.

“It was great for dad because everyone called him a one-horse trainer. He was never bothered by it because he would say ‘what a great job I made of that one’.

“We had one good horse in the yard at the time and a lot of time and investment went into him and it meant an awful lot to all of us. We made the best job of him we could.”

Donald McCain won the National himself with Ballabriggs
Donald McCain won the National himself with Ballabriggs (Martin Rickett/PA)

Amberleigh House would be one of Ginger McCain’s final runners in the Grand National before he passed the baton over to son Donald in 2006 and although the younger McCain would go on to win the Grand National himself with Ballabriggs in 2011, it is still that 2004 triumph that sticks in the forefront of his memory.

He added: “It was quite surreal and it was literally from the elbow where it all happened so it wasn’t a very long period of time, but it was just very, very special.

“For us as a family, we grew up around a retired Red Rum but weren’t around when he was winning and to get to feel a bit of that was very special and to this day it would be the best day I’ve had in racing, even better than the day I won it with Ballabriggs.

“There was a McCain way but that is probably gone now to be honest. We knew what an Aintree horse was and how to get one ready for Aintree and train them for that one day. But things have changed so far now that I don’t think that even comes into it the same now.”

Amberleigh House competed round the famous fences on 11 occasions failing to complete only twice – when brought down in his first crack at the big race in 2001 and when pulled-up on his final start before retirement in 2006.

Graham Lee struck up a productive partnership with Amberleigh House
Graham Lee struck up a productive partnership with Amberleigh House (David Davies/PA)

He was ridden for the majority of those assignments by Graham Lee, the crack jump jockey turned Flat pilot who formed a dynamic partnership with the foot-perfect stayer.

The 20-year anniversary of the duo’s finest hour comes poignantly at a time when Lee is recovering from the life-changing injuries suffered in a fall at Newcastle last November and there is little doubt about Lee’s importance to the Amberleigh House story.

“Graham was a very high-class jump jockey and what has happened to him is very sad,” continued McCain.

“We all think about him all the time and he managed to carve a second career on the Flat, but he was a very good jump jockey, one of the best around.

“He was a big part of Amberleigh House and they were made for each other, they were a pleasure to watch together the pair of them.”

Amberleigh House's defeat to Clan Royal in the Becher Chase was significant in him landing the National
Amberleigh House’s defeat to Clan Royal in the Becher Chase was significant in him landing the National (Martin Rickett/PA)

With Amberleigh House and Lee’s biggest day still to come, it was the pair’s defeat at the hands of Clan Royal in that season’s Becher Chase that proved instrumental to Grand National glory, helping shape riding plans for the big race itself a few months later.

“I think losing that Becher Chase won us the National and I think Graham would say the same,” said McCain.

“He got beat a short head in the Becher Chase that season by Clan Royal and it was the shortest of short heads.

“If you looked at Clan Royal he was twice as big as old Amberleigh and we were distraught to be honest. They were ding dong from the top of the straight and the two of them came clear and it was a fantastic finish.

“To be honest losing that I think helped us win a Grand National as I had a good talk with Graham and we decided Amberleigh only had one little burst of acceleration in him and there was a general consensus that sounds cocky now, but don’t hit the front until the elbow.

“If you watched Graham a few years later he tried to do the same on a horse of Ferdy Murphy’s who just didn’t stay. He arrived at the last with a chance on Big Fella Thanks in Ballabriggs’ year and tried to do a very similar thing with him.”

It was Becher adversary Clan Royal that was sent off the 10-1 co-favourite for the 2004 Grand National with Amberleigh House 16-1 in the market.

Jonjo O’Neill’s charge looked to be in the process of obliging favourite-backers when jumping to the lead two out, with Amberleigh House still having plenty to do among those still attempting to complete the course.

A repeat of the previous year’s third seemed the best Amberleigh House could hope for, but the complexion of the contest was about to change, with Clan Royal and Martin Pipe’s Lord Atterbury running out of steam and Lee executing the McCain plan to perfection as Amberleigh House and his trademark white noseband closed the gap on the lung-busting run to the line.

“I think he was fourth from the back of the Canal Turn and you’re looking behind to see if something was going to come and do him for fourth and then I just thought at the second-last he was staying on but just took two more strides to jump it,” explained McCain.

“If he had jumped it two strides sooner I would have thought we had a real chance and then Hedgehunter fell at the last and I thought ‘we’re going to be third again in the Grand National’.

  • 1973 Red Rum
  • 1974 Red Rum
  • 1977 Red Rum
  • 2004 Amberleigh House
  • 2011 Ballabriggs

“Then halfway up the run-in everything changed, it was the most amazing day.

“There was only one man who would ever know how confident he was and that was Graham himself. But it was a case of we didn’t want to get there too soon and the one thing I can imagine is he would have been getting the most wonderful ride off him, as you will never see another horse jump Aintree better than Amberleigh House – and I mean the old Aintree, not the one we’re on about now.”

It was a case of third-time lucky for Amberleigh House and a National win that McCain thought had maybe passed the horse by after his gallant third to Monty’s Pass 12 months prior to his glorious afternoon on Merseyside.

However, the pint-sized National hero would keep coming back for more of the famous spruce, never letting his side down when faced with the challenge of the National fences.

“The year before he was third in the race he was very tired afterwards, he was absolutely drunk and we had to take him away out of the winner’s enclosure,” said McCain.

“You kind of wondered if that was his chance of winning the Grand National gone. He didn’t know where he was for about 20 minutes so it is to his credit he came back and he just loved the place.

“He was just the most amazing little horse and Amberleigh was so good to jump round there, he was as good as you ever see. You never really didn’t expect him to get round which was a fairly big thing at the old Aintree. He was only 15’2 and half an inch but as good a jumper as you would ever see – he was just so good round there.”



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Maximilian to miss remainder of the season

Maximilian, one of last season’s leading novice hurdlers, will miss the entirety of the current campaign due to injury.

The seven-year-old has won five of his seven starts to date for trainer Donald McCain and the Owners Group and was last seen finishing second in Grade One company at Aintree.

The form of that race could hardly have worked out better, with the winner Apple Away, third-placed Iroko and fourth home Stay Away Fay all making the mark over fences this term, and Maximilian himself was due to embark on a novice chasing campaign before injury intervened.

Connections had initially he hoped he would return to competitive action early in the new year, but have now had to draw stumps for the season.

“Unfortunately he won’t be back until next autumn,” said the owners’ racing manager Dan Downie.

“It’s obviously frustrating, but the main thing is he’ll be fine and it’s one of those things really.

“It would have been interesting to see how he got on, but hopefully we’ll have a much more positive conversation in a year’s time.”



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Charlie Maggs enjoys valuable victory on Geromino

Geromino provided 10lb conditional jockey Charlie Maggs with a notable success in the £50,000 bet365 Handicap Hurdle at Doncaster.

Attached to Donald McCain’s yard in Cheshire, just like twin brother William, he was riding only the fourth winner of his career.

Geromino has been chasing of late and on his run behind subsequent Cheltenham winner Homme Public at Wetherby in October, he looked quite well handicapped off just 126 back over hurdles – especially when Maggs’ 10lb allowance was factored in.

However, there were some smart rivals amongst the opposition, chiefly top weight Tommy’s Oscar and Charlie Longsdon’s Rare Edition, who ran against the best novices last season.

Charlie Maggs returns on Geromino
Charlie Maggs returns on Geromino (Nick Robson/PA)

Maggs judged things perfectly on the front end, though, and despite McCain fearing the loss of the hurdles in the straight due to low sun would work against the good jumper, it appeared to work in his favour.

First Impression, who cruised into contention, did not find as much as initially seemed likely and was beaten half a length, with a neck back to Rare Edition, who made late gains.

“Gary (Fitzpatrick, owner) is a great supporter and the old horse is just high enough in the handicap, and he’s a little horse for fences,” said McCain.

“I thought I’d give him a run over hurdles but when I went down to the last to watch the race with Gary and they started taking the hurdles out, I was moaning because he’s such a good jumper.

“But when you think about having a 10lb claim in a Flat race, it’s a lot and the horse is so genuine.

“Charlie judged it great. I’m very lucky, as I’ve got a great team of jockeys, led by Brian (Hughes), there’s Theo (Gilliard), Peter Kavanagh, William and Charlie and Abi (McCain), they’re a great bunch.

“Charlie and his brother have been coming every weekend since they were 12 and they’ve just turned 18. Charlie doesn’t have an agent yet because he’s not lost his 10lb. Will has had a few more winners because he’s lost his 10lb and Richard Hale looks after him. We’ll save his 10lb for nice races.”

Maggs said: “I’m delighted, he battled all the way to the line.

“He was happy in front, so I just let him bowl along and he was good. He’s a hardy horse and he kept going.

“That’s my fourth winner and it’s good to win a race like that.”



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Injury sidelines chasing prospect Maximilian

Maximilian’s novice chasing career is temporarily on hold, with the seven-year-old set to miss the first part of the season through injury.

Trained by Donald McCain, Maximilian built up a fine reputation as a staying novice hurdler last season winning three times, including when scooping Grade Two honours in Doncaster’s River Don Novices’ Hurdle.

He finished second to Apple Away in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on his final start of the campaign, with impressive Warwick scorer Iroko and Cheltenham Festival winner Stay Away Fay behind in third and fourth respectively and was due to embark on a novice chasing campaign this term.

Having seen Storm Babet curtail plans for a chasing bow at Carlisle, Maximilian’s season has now met with further interruption after suffering a setback which will keep him sidelined.

“He’s picked up an injury so he won’t be out for a few months,” said Dan Downie of Owners Group, to whom Maximilian belongs.

“It’s not a big thing, but he will need some time off, so it’s just frustrating really.

“He will come back at some point and it will just be a case of giving him time. I’m not too sure on the timescale exactly. He definitely won’t be out in the next few months.

“The plan was to go novice chasing with him and I think that would still be the plan.”



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McCain prefers Pattern-race options for Minella Drama

Minella Drama is unlikely to take up his option in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, with trainer Donald McCain instead looking at graded races.

The eight-year-old performed with great credit on his comeback at Aintree on Sunday when beating all bar shock winner Jetoile in the Old Roan Chase under a big weight.

McCain was one of many who felt the race lost some of its lustre with all the fences in the home straight being omitted due to low sun – especially as his horse was in front a long way out.

“He ran an absolute screamer and a lot of people have said some very nice things about him,” said McCain.

Jetoile wore down Minella Drama in the long home straight
Jetoile wore down Minella Drama in the long home straight (Tim Goode/PA)

“I think everybody who watched the race kind of had the same view – it doesn’t matter now of course – but given he’s such a good jumper, it’s just a shame they took all the fences out because it’s a long way home for his first run of the year.

“But it is what it is, we’ve always had a lot of faith in him, he’s a good horse and I’d just love him to have his big day somewhere.

“The Paddy Power wouldn’t be my go-to, to be honest. He was put in it in case we couldn’t get started somewhere but it’s not the obvious race, I don’t think.

“We’ve got races like the Peterborough Chase (Huntingdon, December 10), the Ascot one (1965 Chase, November 25) and I even put him in the Betfair Chase (Haydock, November 25) in case certain things didn’t turn up, because what he does do is turn up, every day. He runs up to his mark every day.”



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Brian Hughes only looking forward after banking third championship

Brian Hughes is preparing to thrust himself straight into another title bid ahead of being crowned champion jockey for the third time on the final day of the season at Sandown on Saturday.

The Northern Irishman first claimed the title at the end of 2019-20 season and while he was defeated by Harry Skelton the following year, he regained the trophy at the end of last term.

This campaign’s 164 winners (before racing on Friday) falls some way short of last year’s total when Hughes reached and passed the significant milestone of 200 winners ridden in a season – joining Peter Scudamore, AP McCoy and Richard Hughes in a small band of riders to have done so.

Lost fixtures due to challenging weather conditions and a slight dip in the form of his mounts are the possible causes for the lower number this term, but Hughes’ relationship with trainer Donald McCain continues to provide plenty of success for both parties.

Hughes aboard Minella Drama at Aintree
Hughes aboard Minella Drama at Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)

Hughes said: “It’s good to be champion again. Plenty of hard work. We didn’t get to the number we did last year, but we’ll try harder next year!

“We missed a lot of days racing with bad weather, and you’d have to say the horses weren’t running as well as they were the season before, even though they haven’t been running badly.

“We get on great, Donald’s a brilliant trainer. He’s got a great team and a bunch of loyal owners who have supported the yard and me through that.

“It’s great, I enjoy riding Donald’s horses and we’ve had a lot of success throughout the past couple of seasons. Hopefully we’ll have a few more successful seasons to come.”

Hughes also puts forward his agent Richard Hale as a key figure in his career, with the leading northern-based agent doing a sterling job in balancing all of the champion’s riding commitments for the various stables he is connected to.

Hughes at Doncaster
Hughes at Doncaster (Mike Egerton/PA)

“That’s Richard Hale’s job, I have little to do with that,” Hughes said of the organisation of his rides.

“I just play dumb and he sorts it all out! He keeps all the balls in the air and luckily it works, we’ve done it for a few years now and he keeps everything going forwards. ‘I don’t know, speak to Richard’ – that’s my party line!

“He’s been my agent for the last 18 years – he’s a friend as much as an agent. I put total trust in him and what he puts me on, I ride. We never have any problems.”

Though a constant on northern and midlands racecourses, Hughes is occasionally absent on some of the sport’s biggest days of racing as he will opt to take a ride with a winning chance at a smaller meeting rather than partner an also-ran in a higher-profile race.

This is an approach that has been numerically successful for the rider and he does not see the merit in taking outside rides with slim chances when there are better opportunities elsewhere.

Hughes holding the trophy last season
Hughes holding the trophy last season (Nigel French/PA)

“Everyone wants to ride the big-race winners and win the competitive races and it’s not that I don’t want to. Donald buys a lot of horses and we’re hoping to drop on a couple of good, Graded horses,” he said.

“If you don’t ride for the people who have them, it makes it fairly hard to get on them.

“I want to be competitive and ride winners, I don’t want to be there for a social runner. When I’m not going to be competitive somewhere, I won’t go. If I’ve got a good ride I’ll be there in a heartbeat.

“I go where I’m required to go, that’s my job. I’m not looking at anyone with envy. Wherever you’re going you want to be competitive, if you can’t get on any good rides then it’s sort of pointless to go.”

At 37 Hughes considers himself to be in the autumn of his career and it is that motivation that will push him to hit the ground running throughout the summer to try to bank more winners in pursuit of a fourth title this time next year.

Sedgefield Racecourse – Tuesday April 19th
Brian Hughes at Sedgefield (Nigel French/PA)

“We’ll start and try to get winners on the board. We’ll just just keep rolling on, I don’t have many years left to ride so I’ve got to ride while I can,” he said.

“I’m 38 in June, 40 is not going to be far away. It doesn’t seem like any time at all since I came to England in 2005.

“There’s not many jump jockeys go on much past 40, maybe early 40s but on the Flat they go to 50. I just don’t want to take anything for granted.”



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Minella Trump aiming to enhance McCain family’s National record

The name McCain is synonymous with Aintree success and on the 50th anniversary of Red Rum’s first triumph on Merseyside, Donald McCain will bid for his second Randox Grand National victory with Minella Trump.

Ginger McCain won the world’s most famous steeplechase four times thanks to Red Rum’s hat-trick in the 1970s and Amberleigh House’s win in 2004, while the younger McCain added his name to the Grand National record books when saddling Ballabriggs to strike in 2011.

McCain has been missing from the Grand National start sheet since Across The Bay was pulled up in the race in 2015, but the Bankhouse handler could have found the ideal horse to end his National hiatus in style.

Minella Trump and Brian Hughes jump the last to go on and win the Lyn And Holly’s Big Birthday Celebrations Novices’ Chase at Catterick
Minella Trump and Brian Hughes jump the last to go on and win the Lyn And Holly’s Big Birthday Celebrations Novices’ Chase at Catterick (Tim Goode/PA)

Minella Trump returned from a 10-month absence over hurdles at Bangor recently, but has won eight of his last nine outings over the larger obstacles and will fulfil an ambition of the handler to provide long-standing owner Tim Leslie with a Grand National runner when lining up at Aintree as a 66-1 chance.

McCain said: “He’s in good nick and it was good to get the run into him the other day (at Bangor). It wasn’t ideal to run over timber but there was nowhere else to go unless you want to get involved at Cheltenham.

“I’d sooner he’d have run in a chase, but there wasn’t one so we went over hurdles. He did what we wanted him to do in that he’s had a good blow and he’s come back in good shape. We’re all happy.

“He’d done a lot of racing and won a lot of races, so we just gave him a good break. It’s not been that smooth in that we’d have liked to have got a run in when it was appropriate, but the ground was very heavy and there was nowhere to go, so we’ve had to do things slightly different – but it’s never smooth.

“He’s a great little horse and I don’t know if he’s going under the radar a bit, as he knows how to win. He’s probably not the most impressive when he’s doing it, but that’s probably the reason why he keeps managing to win, because he’s never doing it by too far. We’ve got a good racing weight in a big field handicap, so it’s a positive for sure.

“He’s beaten some smart horses, including the Grand National favourite Corach Rambler. He’s had a much smoother journey to Aintree and that sort of stuff and looks a thorough stayer and so on, but Minella Trump is in good nick and we’re looking forward to getting him there.”

Trainer Donald McCain is bidding for his second victory in the Randox Grand National
Trainer Donald McCain is bidding for his second victory in the Randox Grand National (Simon Marper/PA)

He continued: “We’re not there yet of course, but it would be very nice to have our first runner for a few years.

“It will be very special to have it for Tim Leslie, too, as it’s been an ambition of his since I started training to have a runner in the race. To get there and have a runner for him would be fantastic as he’s been a wonderful supporter.”



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Haydock hero Richmond Lake stakes Aintree claim

Richmond Lake may have earned himself a place on Donald McCain’s squad for Aintree next month following a dominant front-running display at Haydock.

The seven-year-old carried the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings to a couple of victories over hurdles last season and was runner-up to the top-class Jonbon in a Grade Two at Haydock in January.

His chasing career got off to a fairly inauspicious start at Carlisle in the autumn, but he had since won at Wetherby and finished second at Ayr and he was a 5-2 shot for his return to Merseyside in the Bob ‘Few Scoops’ Kerslake’s 70th Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Theo Gillard, deputising for suspended champion jockey Brian Hughes, Richmond Lake was sent to the lead from the start of the two-and-a-half-mile contest – and while he showed a marked tendency to jump left, he was accurate enough at his obstacles to keep the pressure on the chasing pack.

Ned Tanner attempted to make a race of it in the straight, but McCain’s charge ultimately had far too many guns and was good value for the winning margin of four lengths.

“That is just him (jumping left). We went to Carlisle for his first run over fences and it was a bit of a horror show to be honest because he does go that way, but he is a talented horse,” said the Grand National-winning trainer.

“I know he went that way again today, but he jumped like a buck and picked up really well.

“He’s got an engine and it’ll be Aintree or Ayr for him now. We’ll get him home and see, but I would have thought it’ll be one or the other.”

Fourofakind provided fledgling trainer Harry Derham with the 10th winner of his debut season in the Haydock Park Welcomes Racing To School Maiden Hurdle.

Fourofakind with connections after winning at Haydock
Fourofakind with connections after winning at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Previously placed at Taunton and Newbury, the four-year-old was the 4-5 favourite to make it third time lucky on Merseyside and readily pulled 12 lengths clear of his rivals in the hands of Paul O’Brien.

Derham said: “I’m very pleased with how the season is going and I’m extremely pleased for this horse and the group of owners.

“There’s a few professional golfers in there, headed up by Ken Comboy, who is Graeme McDowell’s caddy. I met him at a Pro-Am 10 years ago, we’ve kept him in touch, he said he’d support me when I set up and he did.

“I’m going to take this horse to Ascot on April 2 now if I can. There’s a juvenile handicap hurdle worth a few quid and I feel like a competitive handicap can improve him a bit.”

The Molson Coors Juvenile Hurdle ended up being a match, with Alan King’s Tuddenham Green (evens) readily accounting for the Venetia Williams-trained Jolly Nellerie (4-5 favourite).

Winning jockey Daryl Jacob said: “He’s not a horse for making the running really and he just had a look at the first because of the nature of the race.

“We didn’t know how good Venetia’s horse was, but our horse is a nice stayer and I thought he was good over the last four hurdles.”

Dan Skelton and conditional jockey Tristan Durrell combined to land the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle with 13-2 chance Alnadam.

Rated as high as 145 over fences at his peak, the 10-year-old made the most of a more lenient hurdles mark of 121 with a two-and-three-quarter-length success over the well-backed Hasty Brook.

Skelton’s assistant, Tom Messenger, said of the winner: “He had a bad fall last season at Perth and took a while to get going this season.

“We’ve gone back over hurdles and he ran much better last time and has done better again. He’s taken a bit of rebuilding this season and it’s nice to see it pay off. He’ll stick over hurdles.”

Equus Dreamer (6-1) galloped his rivals into submission in the Tim Molony Handicap Chase, making much of the running under David Bass and saving just enough to see off 13-8 favourite Your Own Story by half a length.

Equus Dreamer won the three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase
Equus Dreamer won the three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Kim Bailey’s assistant, Mat Nicholls, said: “He’s never run over three and a half miles before and we said to David ‘make sure he gets the trip’. He was obviously confident!

“He’s always raced behind the bridle and when the second horse came to him, you just suspected he had something up his sleeve.

“He jumps really well and ought to improve, but he does want soft ground.”

Bailey and Bass doubled up with the visored Broomfield Present (8-1) in the Old Boston Handicap Hurdle, while the concluding Haydock Park Racecourse Handicap Chase went the way of Grey Diamond (100-30).



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Maximilian all set for Stay Away Fay rematch at Aintree

Donald McCain will relish the challenge of taking on Stay Away Fay again at Aintree as Maximilian bids to frank the form of his Doncaster victory.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Stay Away Fay impressed when taking the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last week, having previously been beaten a length by McCain’s charge in the River Don Novices’ Hurdle on Town Moor.

Winner of three of his four stats over hurdles for the Owners Group 099 syndicate, the seven-year-old bypassed Cheltenham in favour of the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle on day two of the Aintree Grand National Festival.

“It’s a great form boost,” McCain said of Stay Away Fay’s success.

“Obviously Paul and everybody thought they should have won on the day (at Doncaster) – we’ll see if he’s right.

“We are running at Aintree. I don’t care who’s running against us!

“Paul’s horse won well. It was nice to see. He was good and Harry (Cobden) gave him a good ride and he won very well.”

McCain is happy for Maximilian to play the underdog again at Aintree and he goes there a fresh horse, having last run in January.

He added: “We didn’t want to go to Cheltenham as we always wanted to go to Aintree.

“Touch wood at the moment he gets there in once piece and everything is good at the moment. I’m very happy with him.

“I don’t think Maximilian will ever be impressive in anything he does, but he keeps winning and that’s very important.

“He saves a bit for himself and those kind of horses go under the radar a bit, but that’s fine – that suits us.”



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Maximilian team to skip Festival date in favour of Aintree

Donald McCain’s classy hurdler Maximilian will skip the Cheltenham Festival in favour of an Aintree outing.

The chestnut was a point-to-point winner and has looked highly promising since starting out under rules, winning two bumpers and his first two starts over hurdles.

Then stepped up in class for the Grade Two Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown in December, the gelding was beaten for the first time in his career when third to Henri The Second.

He bounced right back to form the next time, however, tackling an extended three miles to win the Grade Two River Don at Doncaster at the end of January.

After that victory McCain suggested Cheltenham would not be a priority despite the horse holding an Albert Bartlett entry, with Aintree the preferred option later in the season.

Maximilian at Sandown
Maximilian at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Dan Downie of Owners Group echoed that idea as the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, a Grade One run over three miles and half a furlong, looks to be the ultimate target.

He said: “He’s been going very well, everything is good with him and he’s come out of his race well.

“The plan will be to hopefully run at Aintree in April. That’s a little way away and we might find something in between, but Cheltenham is not happening and we know he won’t go there.

“We were really pleased with him at Doncaster. He’s a horse we’ve always liked but he’s a bit of a enigma in some ways, he’s not very flashy at home and he races quite lazily.

“You never quite know and at Sandown he was a bit disappointing, but I think that tacky ground just didn’t suit him and he was obviously much happier at Doncaster.

“I think he is a real stayer and that will be his game.”



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