McCain pays tribute to National hero Ballabriggs

Donald McCain says no horse held a more special place in his heart than Ballabriggs after announcing the death of his 2011 Grand National hero at the age of 25.

McCain watched the then 10-year-old gelding land the race in Trevor Hemmings’ yellow and green silks under Jason Maguire and celebrated the victory alongside his famous father ‘Ginger’ in the hallowed Aintree enclosure afterwards.

“It was the last National Dad saw and, at the time I didn’t really realise how important it was to be honest,” McCain told the Press Association. “Obviously it was the Grand National but I didn’t think he wouldn’t see any more.”

No family can claim a greater connection with the Aintree marathon than the McCains with Ginger training Red Rum to three victories in 1973, 1974 and 1977, the last of which has its 50th anniversary next April.

McCain Snr went on to win the race for the fourth time with Amberleigh House in 2004 before son Donald put the McCain name on the trophy for a fifth time seven years later with Ballabriggs.

“The whole journey with the horse was wonderful,” said McCain. “He took a long time to get his act together, but when he did he won a handicap chase at Catterick one day (in January 2010), then he won at Ayr, then he won the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival.

“From that moment there was only one race he was running in.”

McCain, Hemmings and his racing manager Mick Meagher plotted a path to the following year’s Grand National from that moment, dropping the horse back into novices’ hurdles the following season to protect his handicap mark before running a fine second over fences at Kelso as a warm-up.

“The 18-month journey from before Cheltenham through to Aintree, there was literally only one day in sight. We planned it all together with Mick (Meagher) and Mr Hemmings, and I think for about six weeks before Aintree we literally never spoke about it because we didn’t want to tempt fate,” said McCain.

Ballabriggs sees off Oscar Time to win the 2011 Grand National.

“We just couldn’t see it going wrong though and we are all in this job long enough to know it’s not like that. But it was a wonderful, wonderful day and he was an absolute wonderful racehorse and joy to deal with.”

Ballabriggs spent a well-earned retirement at Hemmings’ Isle Of Man stud.

McCain said: “We are sad today and it was sad this morning but you can’t be. He was 25, he has been looked after like a king and he was an old man. Yesterday he was jumping and kicking around the field. He has had a great innings and he has been appreciated for a long time.

“We have nothing but great memories and I owe him an awful lot.”