Ginger McCain
Donald "Ginger" McCain (21 September 1930 – 19 September 2011) was an English National Hunt trainer, perhaps best known for training the legendary horse Red Rum. A successful trainer who won many races, he trained Red Rum on Crosby beach near Liverpool. A former national serviceman in the RAF as a motorcycle despatch rider he was a member of the RAF scrambling team.[1]
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[edit] Red Rum
Born in Southport, McCain applied for a training permit in 1953 and began training horses in 1962, using small stables behind the showroom of his used-car store in Southport. He bought a horse for 6,000 guineas,[2] which later turned out to be suffering from a debilitating bone disease. The horse was Red Rum.
[edit] Grand National
McCain trained the winner of the Grand National four times, three times with Red Rum and once with Amberleigh House.[3] Perhaps what is even more remarkable is that his first and fourth victories were over 30 years apart. Fred Rimell is the only other person to have trained four winners of the race.
[edit] Titles
In his final Grand National in 2006, McCain entered three horses; Inca Trail, who ran well for a long way until running out of stamina two fences from home and finishing in 8th place, Ebony Light (fell) and Amberleigh House (pulled up). [4]
[edit] Retirement
McCain retired after the 2006 Grand National, handing over control of the stable to his son, Donald McCain, Jr., who later trained 2011 winner, Ballabriggs.
[edit] Personal life
McCain married Beryl Harris in Southport in March 1961; the couple had two children: Joanne and Donald, Jr.[5] McCain worked as a taxi driver to supplement his income as a trainer prior to finding Grand National success. It was as a taxi driver that he became acquainted with Noel le Mare, on whose behalf Red Rum was purchased.[5]
[edit] Death
McCain died from cancer on 19 September 2011, two days before his 81st birthday.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Hannan, Martin. "Obituary: Donald 'Ginger' McCain, racehorse trainer". News.scotsman.com (Edinburgh). http://news.scotsman.com/obituaries/Obituary-Donald-39Ginger39-McCain-racehorse.6839288.jp. Retrieved 20 September 2011.[dead link]
- ^ icSouthport[dead link]
- ^ Aintree enjoys Ginger tonic BBC Sport, 3 April 2004
- ^ [1] BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
- ^ a b Ginger McCain: Mr Aintree, The Independent, 8 April 2006
- ^ "Red Rum trainer Ginger McCain dies aged 80". BBC Sport. 2011-09-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/9325947.stm. Retrieved 2011-09-19.
