News Story One

Horse racing legends past and present gathered in huge numbers at Liverpool Cathedral to celebrate the life of trainer Ginger McCain. McCain, who died at the age of 80 in September, will be widely remembered for his training of three-time Grand National winner Red Rum.

Famous faces amongst the hundreds present included trainer Sir Mark Prescott and jockeys Jason Maguire and Graham Lee, whilst fans of racing and of McCain were said to total at least 400. Sir Bobby Charlton also attended.

Tributes were read out by Ladbrokes's Mike Dillon and the former Aintree managing director Charles Barnett for a man who is said to have rescued the Grand National during the 1970s when it was in danger of folding as a race altogether.

Ginger, who real name was Donald, holds the joint record with Fred Rimell for having trained four winners at Aintree, home to the Grand National. He also won it with Amberleigh House in 2004.

 Red Rum stature in Wayfarers Arcade

However, it was with Red Rum, who landed the National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, that Ginger gained legendary status within the horse racing world. In a remarkable partnership between a struggling McCain, who had become a taxi driver in Southport to fund his horse training career, and an injury-prone horse, the two began working on the sandy beaches of Southport.

Sir Peter O’Sullevan, dubbed ‘the voice of racing’, said, “It was because Ginger bought him and because Ginger trained on the sands at Southport that they became such a magic combo. They became a nationally acknowledged partnership.”

Sir Peter O'Sullevan tribute to Ginger McCain by cworswick

Away from Red Rum, Ginger built a reputation on a complete lack of political correctness and famous one-liners, with women on the wrong end of his estimations. O’Sullevan said in a tribute to McCain, “He used to make outrageous remarks. He used to pretend to be a misogynist, but most of his comments were tongue in cheek.”

Perhaps in a twist of fate, Ginger’s son, Donald Jnr, who has built a successful career following in his father’s footsteps as a horse trainer, trained Ballybriggs, the winner of the 2011 Grand National.

However, O’Sullevan believes that Red Rum’s three Grand National wins will never be beaten. “That was an absolutely prodigious achievement. After all, he competed in five Nationals, he won three and was second twice.”