Tag Archive for: Donald McCain

Brian Hughes only looking forward after banking third championship

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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.”

Minella Trump aiming to enhance McCain family’s National record

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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.”

Haydock hero Richmond Lake stakes Aintree claim

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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).

Maximilian all set for Stay Away Fay rematch at Aintree

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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.”

Maximilian team to skip Festival date in favour of Aintree

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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.”

Owners Group looking forward to festival targets

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Success continues to breed success for the Owners Group syndicate, who enjoyed their most successful weekend to date with five winners last week.

Donald McCain’s Maximilian landed the Grade Two River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster and the Paul Nicholls-trained duo of Stage Star and Hacker Des Places claimed handicaps at Cheltenham.

They were supplemented by the victories of Unit Sixtyfour at Fontwell and Richhill at Southwell on Sunday for the microshare syndicate.

Dan Downie, racing manager of the syndicate, said: “It was a very good weekend. We’d had a slow start to January, like everybody because of the weather, and we thought it was going to be a busy weekend but to have five winners was extraordinary.

“Donald told me Maximilian got a bigger cheer coming back in than when he won the Grand National!”

Despite winning a notable trial for the Albert Bartlett, though, Maximilian will skip the Cheltenham Festival and wait for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

“I loved the way he looks after himself, he’s not particularly flashy and he’s almost lazy the way he goes through a race but he jumped the last, came alive and he’s got a lot up his sleeve it looks like,” said Downie.

“Donald said he’d almost given up and I started to think that, but then Brian (Hughes) gave him a squeeze and he came back on the bridle again. He’s very good. He races like a real staying hurdler. He wouldn’t be the biggest in the world and while all options are open, he does look a staying hurdler at this stage.

“We’d spoken previously about where we’d like to end up this year and we’re happy to miss Cheltenham and aim for Aintree with him.”

Stage Star jumped impeccably at Cheltenham
Stage Star jumped impeccably at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

Stage Star, a Grade One-winning novice hurdler, looked a class apart when defying top weight in the usually informative Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

“Stage Star was very impressive. On a day like that when everything goes well, he looks very good,” said Downie.

“To be fair to him, he has had excuses when he’s been beaten but he looked a very good horse on Saturday. It’s not like he just throws the towel in.

“We’ve had brief conversations with Paul but nothing is concrete. He will go to Cheltenham but we haven’t discussed it more than that really.

“Hacker Des Places is very tough, too. He’s not very big but he’s a strong traveller, he jumps well and loves those big fields and hopefully the Betfair Hurdle should suit him down to the ground.

“The aim is to just keep going and not lose sight of everyone who is involved, that’s the point. It’s not to get them involved, it’s to keep them involved.

“The horses are selling really well and I hope it is giving people a chance to get involved as we know how expensive having a racehorse is. Hopefully it is doing the job for everyone.”

Maximilian promises plenty in the long term with Doncaster triumph

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Graded winners are a little rarer these days for Donald McCain since the glory years of Peddlers Cross and Overturn, so he was cherishing the success of Maximilian in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

Having lost his unbeaten record at Sandown last time out, McCain gave the seven-year-old a wind operation but openly admitted he thought it was going to be a big ask for his charge a long way from home on Town Moor.

Champion jockey Brian Hughes is that for a reason, though, and nursed the 13-2 chance into contention approaching the second-last in the Grade Two affair.

Hurricane Bay and Stay Away Fay were tough competition, but Maximilian stuck gamely to his task and prevailed by a length.

He was roared back into the paddock by scores of members of his Owners Group syndicate, a group who have supported McCain well.

McCain is not struck on a Cheltenham bid, however, and Aintree seems more likely.

“I nearly walked away with a circuit to run. He’s got that in him, he can switch off,” said McCain.

“He’s one of those staying hurdlers who races off the bridle and saves plenty for himself.

“If he’d gone clear he’d have probably pulled up, like those good staying hurdlers when he hits the front he thinks he’s done enough.”

Maximilian and jockey Brian Hughes with winning owners
Maximilian and jockey Brian Hughes with winning owners (Ricard Sellers/PA)

He went on: “He hated the ground at Sandown, he wasn’t right afterwards but he was still third in a Grade Two, we’ve always had a lot of faith in him but he’ll never be flash.

“We’ll go for a big novice, but I’m not a massive Cheltenham fan. He’s a long-term horse and I’ve not got hundreds of these. Aintree would be first choice, I think.

“He jumps like he’ll jump a fence, but I just wonder if he’s one of those real staying hurdlers.

“The Owners Group are great, I’m lucky to have a few for them. It’s the same wherever they run. It just works.”

Tommy’s Oscar with Ann and Ian Hamilton
Tommy’s Oscar with Ann and Ian Hamilton (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Tommy’s Oscar stamped his class on the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase with a smooth performance.

A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was just below the very best last season but promised to take high rank over fences.

A win at Carlisle and a second in a hot event at Cheltenham to Banbridge offered plenty of encouragement on that front, but reverting to hurdles for the Fighting Fifth did not quite work out.

Due to a lack of opportunities he was in a limited handicap at Newcastle most recently, conceding lumps of weight to Since Day One, who took him on at levels on this occasion and the tables were well and truly turned.

Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last
Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Harry Fry’s favourite Boothill loomed to the front early in the straight but Danny McMenamin was full on confidence on Tommy’s Oscar (7-4) and came between horses pulling double.

Two good leaps at the last two fences sealed the deal by five and a half lengths for Ann and Ian Hamilton’s star.

“He wants better ground and a flat track. He wasn’t giving away loads of weight today, either,” said Ian Hamilton.

“He tends to jump right, but didn’t do that until the last today when he was in the clear.

“I don’t know what we do now, we may have to wait until Aintree. He’s not a Cheltenham horse. There’s nothing I can see that we can run him in, it’s been the case all season which was why he ran at Newcastle giving all that weight.

“Ann and I are getting on, we don’t want to be travelling with him to the other end of the country.

“We haven’t had a great season, our horses are badly handicapped, but this lad is good.”

Stat of the Day, 17th February 2020

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Saturday's pick was...

1.30 Haydock : Glinger Flame @ 6/1 BOG 5th at 6/1 (Held up, slow 1st, outpaced 11th, hanging left before 4 out, soon well beaten)

Monday's pick runs in the...

4.30 Carlisle :

Before I post the daily selection, just a quick reminder of how I operate the service. Generally, I'll identify and share the selection between 8.00am and 8.15am and I then add a more detailed write-up later within an hour of going "live".

Those happy to take the early price on trust can do so, whilst some might prefer to wait for my reasoning. As I fit the early service in around my family life, I can't give an exact timing on the posts, so I suggest you follow us on Twitter and/or Facebook for instant notifications of a published pick.

Who?

Princess Mononoke @ 5/2 BOG

...in an 8-runner, Class 4, Handicap Hurdle for 4yo+ over 2m1f on Soft (heavy in places) ground worth £4,809 to the winner...

Why?...

This 9 yr old mare is currently 4 from 20 (20% SR) which on face value is definitely reasonable and worth a second look. When you do look closer, you'll find that in the context of this race, her numbers are excellent when compared to her 7 rivals here , who are a combined 4 from 127 (3.15% SR)!

She has also made the frame in 7 of 16 defeats, meaning she has placed in 55% of all contests including the four wins and her 4/20 record includes of relevance today...

  • 4 wins and 6 places from 17 on soft/heavy
  • 4 and 6 from 16 with a 5-7lb claimer on board
  • 4 and 5 from 15 after 10-50 days rest
  • 4 and 6 from 14 in 5-9 runner contests
  • 4 and 5 from 13 from Jan-April
  • 4 and 3 from 8 at odds of 4/1 and shorter
  • 3 and 6 from 15 over 2m-2m1f
  • 3 and 4 from 10 with Abbie McCain in the saddle
  • 3 and 2 from 8 on soft ground
  • 2 and 5 from 12 at Class 4

...and 5-7lb claimer + 5-9 runners + soft/heavy + Jan-April + 4/1 max odds + 11-50 dslr = 4 from 4 (100% SR) for 11.55pts (+288.8% ROI), including...

  • 3/3 for Abbie McCain
  • 3/3 on soft
  • 3/3 at 2m-2m1f
  • and 2/2 at Class 4

The potential fly in the ointment is the weight, of course. As she's so consistent and clearly the best horse in the race, she gets no help from the handicapper today. Jockey Abbie's 5lb claim is the only relief available, but there's a precedent here, as since the start of 2015, Donald McCain's handicap hurdlers that are top weight have won 8 of 30 (26.7% SR) for 13.7pts (+45.7% ROI) profit when sent off at Evens to 10/1 with a claimer jockey on board, including the following at play today...

  • 8/24 (33.3%) for 19.7pts (+82.1%) in fields of 4-9 runners
  • 8/22 (36.4%) for 21.7pts (+98.6%) at 1-30 dslr
  • 7/20 (35%) for 20.4pts (+102%) with 7-9 yr olds
  • 6/14 (42.9%) for 2.4pts (+67.3%) at Class 4
  • 4/12 (33.3%) for 12.6pts (+104.9%) on soft/heavy
  • 4/12 (33.3%) for 8.4pts (+70.1%) over 2m-2m2f
  • 3/10 (30%) for 10.3pts (+103.1%) on soft
  • and 2/5 (40%) for 3.13pts (+62.6%) for Abbie McCain...

...whilst 4-9 runners + 1-30dslr + 6-9 yr old + Class 4 = 6/9 (66.6% SR) for 28.4pts (+315.7% ROI), including...

  • 4/4 at 2m-2m2f
  • 4/4 on soft/heavy
  • 3/3 on soft...

...giving us...a 1pt win bet on Princess Mononoke @ 5/2 BOG as was widely available at 8.00am Monday, but as always please check your BOG status. To see what your preferred bookie is quoting...

...click here for the betting on the 4.30 Carlisle

Don't forget, we offer a full interactive racecard service every day!

REMINDER: THERE IS NO STAT OF THE DAY ON SUNDAYS

Here is today's racecard

P.S. all P/L returns quoted in the stats above are to Betfair SP, as I NEVER bet to ISP and neither should you. I always use BOG bookies for SotD, wherever possible, but I use BFSP for the stats as it is the nearest approximation I can give, so I actually expect to beat the returns I use to support my picks. If that's unclear, please ask!