Ballabriggs wins Grand National
Son of Red Rum trainer gets glory as Ballabriggs romps home at race watched by estimated 600 million people worldwide.
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| Ballabriggs continued the legacy of the McCain family at the Grand National in the Red Rum tradition [GALLO/GETTY] |
Trainer Donald McCain followed his father and four-time winner Ginger McCain into Grand National folklore by winning the world famous steeplechase with Ballabriggs at Aintree racecourse.
Ridden by Jason Maguire, Ballabriggs (14-1) held off the strong challenge of amateur Sam Waley-Cohen on Oscar Time with last year’s winner Don’t Push It third.
“Crazy, it’s a lifetime dream,” a sweat-drenched Maguire told the BBC on Saturday.
On a warm day at the course outside Liverpool, England, the jockey punched the air with delight before dismounting the exhausted horse almost immediately after the finish line.
“He’s just tired, he doesn’t save anything… he doesn’t keep anything back,” said the sharply-attired McCain, who could hardly contain his excitement, sprinting in his pinstripe suit on to the racecourse before embracing Maguire in a long hug.
Ginger McCain trained probably the most famous Grand National horse of them all, winning three times in the 1970s with the great Red Rum.
He also won the race for a fourth time in 2004 with Amberleigh House.
The proud dad joked: “He’s made a cracking job on him (the horse). If you ever meet his father you should ask him where his brains come from.”
In an eventful race, Becher’s and one other fence were bypassed on the second circuit while injured horses were attended to. Two horses, Ornais and Dooneys Gate, died in falls.