Donald McCain – Aintree 2021 Stable Tour
One of the most famous surnames in Grand National history is McCain. “Ginger”, born Donald in 1930, trained the famous Red Rum to three Grand Nationals between 1973 and 1977, and also Amberleigh House to score in 2004. His son Donald Jr. took the race in 2011 with the well fancied Ballabriggs, who triumphed under Jason Maguire for another hero of Northern Jump Racing in owner Trevor Hemmings, who again is part of the foundations of any Grand National Meeting, or indeed any meeting at Aintree. McCain and Hemmings are names that are as symbolic with the meeting and racecourse of Aintree as much as Becher’s, Foinavon, Aldaniti, Valentine’s, The Chair, Tiger Roll and Canal Turn are. If you are a complete novice to racing and hear of the Grand National, chances are extremely high that you will hear of all three very soon, and for very good reasons.
And whilst he does not have a runner in the main event and the big race on Saturday, Donald Jr. is fielding a formidable team from his base at Bankhouse Stables near Cholmondely, Cheshire. It is a team made up of quality over quantity, and with Champion Jockey Brian Hughes to call upon to take the rides in many of the races, the hope is there that at least one of them will return to Cheshire victorious, and carry on the fine tradition of a Grand National Meeting winner being trained from there.
The charge that he has masterminded begins on the Thursday, in the Doom Bar Anniversary 4 Year Old Juvenile Hurdle. The horse in question is FIVEANDTWENTY, who runs for Middleham Park Racing XCVI.
Abbie McCain and Fiveandtwenty head down the gallop in first lot
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Since joining the yard from Mark Johnston’s in November, she has done nothing but thrive, winning three races at Musselburgh on the bounce, culminating in a four length victory on their Cheltenham Festival Trials Card in the Bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle, a Listed race over two miles. This last run was complete with the minimum of fuss, comfortably accounting for Historic Heart. Indeed, in all her runs she has won by a total of 32 Lengths, starting with a twenty-six length demolition of Breguet Boy in December, followed up by a two length and four length victory on her next runs. All of which have been done in good style and fashion, so she deserves to take her chance.
The atmosphere in the yard would also indicate that the team are hopeful of a fine run, with Conditional Jockey and one of the daughters of Donald Jr, Abbie, declaring that she comes into the race under the radar a little bit, having not gone to Cheltenham to contest the Triumph Hurdle. With the connection between Aintree and the McCain dynasty, it’s no surprise to see them skip a trip to the Cotswolds for a raid on Liverpool.
Abbie McCain and Fiveandtwenty head back after first lot
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Later on in the day is the Rose Paterson Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters Chase, named after the late Rose Paterson, who was the Chair of Aintree and who tragically took her own life. She is dearly missed by all who knew her, and the race is named in her memory.
Lining up in the Foxhunters from the yard is FEDERICI, who will be partnered with Mr Derek O’Connor, a leading amateur rider in Ireland. A winner earlier in the season at Carlisle over 3m 2f, he has shown some fair form this season, but was well behind Alcala at Musselburgh in February. He looked in fine fettle at the yard, but if this is a bridge too far remains to be seen.
Jasmin and Federici head up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Jasmin and Federici head back in
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
GAELIK COAST looks set to take his chance in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase ( Grade 3 ). He remains a novice for the end of this season, and has beaten some good types this season, one in which he has scored twice in at Fakenham and Musselburgh. Indeed, Getaway Trump, whom he vanquished at Musselburgh in the Frodon Novices’ Chase, went on to score at Doncaster next time out. A rough race at Ludlow doesn’t seem like his true running, so hopefully a return to the minimum trip will see him to good effect.
Tommy and Gaelik Coast head up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
MILANS EDGE is the final runner on the card for the team, lining up in the Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race ( Grade 2 ). A winne rforst time out in her Irish point to point at Tinahely in October 2020, she was sold at the GOFFS UK November P2P Sale at Yorton Farm for £40,000 by the stud’s owner James Potter. Her only start thereafter was a confident victory at Wetherby in February under Brian Hughes. Presumably she has been earmarked for this race instead of a tilt at the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and she goes into it with a good chance of maintaining her unbeaten record.
Jack and Milans Edge head up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
The Friday entries begin in the opening Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle ( Grade 3 ), where the team are potentially triple handed. They consist of BLAKENEY POINT, GOOBINATOR & MACKENBERG. All three have entries in the Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle ( Conditional Jockeys And Amateur Riders’ Race ) ( Class 2 ), which brings down the curtain on day two, so it remains to be seen at the time of writing where each of them end up.
BLAKENEY POINT has some fair form this season, winning at a favoured haunt of the team in Musselburgh on New Year’s Day, and finishing 11th in the Morebattle Hurdle on 6th March behind subsequent Paddy Power Plate at the Cheltenham Festival scorer The Shunter. It may well be that they just didn’t take to the course that day, and it may well be that Donald has had a handicap at Aintree in mind for them all season.
Adrian and Blakeney Point head up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
GOOBINATOR doesn’t just have one of the best names for a racehorse, but is a gorgeous chestnut. He made a good start to his jumps campaign at Chepstow in October when finishing fourth behind Thyme White. He bettered that effort at Ayr next time out when winning before 2 and a half miles seemed to stretch him when 12 lengths behind subsequent River Don winner The Cob. He was extremely unlucky at Musselburgh on his penultimate start to date when bumped and coming down at the last, before his most recent run was a “Jumpers Bumper” at Newcastle when racing in Britain was affected by a cold snap, seemingly brought on by the hypothetical child Elsa off Frozen and Jack Frost would have made. The impression from the team is that there is a good prize in him, he just needs the luck in running. He may get that in this race. It is also a benefit that at the time of writing he is also expected to be partnered by his work rider Theo Gillard, who would also take off 5 valuable pounds off his back.
Theo and Goobinator head back in
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Goobinator and Fiveandtwenty work up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
MACKENBERG started his season out in good style by winning on his first start over hurdles at Carlisle in October, before a second behind the well touted Hooligan of Tom George’s yard. He showed that his next run at Aintree when well beaten was a fluke when scoring in a Jumper’s Bumper” at Newcastle in February before a good fourth place in the Dovecote at Kempton behind Cape Gentleman. Giving seven pounds to a juvenile on the upgrade on his most recent start was a bit much when chasing home Paros at Musselburgh a few weeks ago, but given his progression beforehand, he may be one to keep an eye on for any of the two races he is entered in.
Theo and Mackenberg head down the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Theo and Mackenberg head up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Fiveandtwenty has been entered for the Betway Top Novices Hurdle ( Grade 1 ) over the minimum trip, but as she has been declared for the previous day’s Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle, it seems more likely she will go for that rather than the Top Novices.
DEAR SIRE is declared for the last race of the day, the conditional jockeys’ and amateur rider’s handicap hurdle, and has leading amateur Mr Derek O’Connor lined up to take the ride. He has had a very busy season since July, winning at Bangor and Chepstow, with several placed efforts at Uttoxeter, Perth and Newcastle also of note. He needs to put a disappointing run at Musselburgh behind him to figure in the race however, but there is no reason to suggest he cannot.
Dear Sire heads back in after exercise
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
BAREBACK JACK was entered for the Top Novices and the concluding handicap on the Friday as per the above horses, however he will now be rerouted to Ayr the following week for the Scottish Champion Hurdle.
A winning Irish pointer on debut, he was sold to the trainer at the 2020 Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale for £70,000. He started his season perfectly, winning his hurdle debut at Musselburgh by 2 and a half lengths to the well regarded Long Stay of Fergal O’Brien. He followed up at Catterick two months later, before returning to Musselburgh to take the Scottish Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on their Cheltenham Festival Trials Card. His winning streak came to an end at Kelso on Morebattle Hurdle Day in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle, albeit he spread a plate and suffered a overreach in the race, where jockey Brian Hughes wisely elected to keep him safe and not cause any further damage.
Hopefully he will put the misfortune of his run at Kelso behind him and give a good, true account of himself next week.
Adrian and Bareback Jack head up the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Adrian and Bareback Jack head back in
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
Saturday is the biggest day of the year for Liverpool, far better than them ever winning the Premier or Champions League. This year instead of the usually pageantry of the crowds enjoying the best day of the year, it will be a case of watching the race at home, wishing that very soon we will all be able to attend the races again.
The first race of the day that the team has a runner in is the second race of the day and the first Grade 1 of the day, the Betway Mersey Novices Hurdle over 2m 4f. Their challenger for this is MINELLA DRAMA, a winner of the re-arranged Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Market Rasen, having been called off from it’s usual home at Huntingdon the week before. He travelled powerfully throughout, and despite an awkward leap at the last, won comfortably, with Brian Hughes giving him one slap down the shoulder and using hands and heels to run out a comfortable success over Stoner’s Choice by 3 lengths.
Minella Drama ( Far Side ) works up the gallop with Gaelik Coast
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
In all his 7 runs he has never been out of the first two. He started his career in a 4 year old point to point at Boulta on 24th November 2019, finishing 12 lengths behind a certain Sir Gerhard. He again finished second in another point a few months later before being purchased by Donald McCain for £60,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale on 21st February 2020.
He has been sent straight over hurdles this season, beating beaten by Llandinabo Lad on hurdles debut at Bangor-On-Dee before going one better the next two times at Sedgefield and back at Bangor-On-Dee. He turned the tables on Llandinabo Lad when coming home second at Haydock Park to Faivoir in the Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle, his seasonal debut conqueror trailing home last of the 5 who contested the race.
A step up in trip of half a mile proved the wise thing to do when he took the rearranged Sidney Banks at Market Rasen, travelling well and scoring comfortably. He missed Cheltenham to head here, and we all know how well last season’s winner of the Sidney Banks has turned out to be, now they have added this year’s Arkle Novices Chase to their record.
Darren, who rides him every morning, told me that he was working really well, loves his work, and also was in very good form. He is a bit of a keen sort, and as such needs a hood when working and on course, but he has so much untapped potential within him. As a Listed winner and a runner up in a Grade 2 under a clearly insufficient trip, he deserves to take his chance in this, but it will be his biggest challenge yet.
Darren and Minella Drama lead the lot back in off the gallop
PHOTO: Tom Williams / JTW Equine Images
He is an exciting contender for next season, as this will presumably be his last run of this campaign. And when asked if he will be going staying hurdling or novice chasing, the answer was a very firm one. “He will be straight over fences” confirmed Darren, with a twinkle in his eye. Clearly the team all see him as a fine chaser, and he will undoubtedly go into the next campaign firmly in the “horses to follow” articles and notes of several people.
Fingers crossed he runs well.
The final runner for the team at Aintree is FRUIT N NUT, who takes their chance in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race ( Grade 2 ). Purchased at the GOFFS UK November P2P Sale at Yorton Farm for £40,000 by Donald McCain after a second place at Ballycrystal in their only Irish point, he scored on debut for the yard at Musselburgh, and then followed up at Catterick last month. Arguably this is his toughest task to date, with another of those who graduated from the November P2P Sale going up against him in Nicky Henderson’s Balco Coastal ( sold for £100,000 ), who made an impressive start to his career under rules when bolting up in the vbet.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race at Kempton Park. A thrilling conclusion to a wonderful three days ahead.
Hopefully some good luck will be in store for a team, and a name, so eloquently rooted into Aintree and Grand National history this week. But most of all, let’s hope for a safe Festival for all, and that we shall all be back doing what we do best very soon.
The full gallery of my visit to the yard is located here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/153708976@N07/albums/72157718859625908
