How saddened I was to hear that the original Jockey and racing legend Ginger McCain died earlier this week aged 80. MR McCain of course trained the greatest Grand National winner Red Rum.
Over a 5 year period in the 1970’s MR McCain guided Red Run through three victories and two second place rankings. The winning years came in 1973, 1974 and 1977.
Mr McCain got given the nickname “Mr Aintree” for his sheer successes over the years and still today is one of the most renowned names in the racing game.
Tributes poured in for the trainer when the announcement was made,
Jenny Pitman, trainer of National winner Corbiere in 1983, said: “Ginger’s words when Red Rum died come to mind – ‘We’ll miss the old bugger’. Ginger is just irreplaceable.”
Former jockey Mick Fitzgerald said: “Every time you think of the National, you think of Ginger. He was the National, to be honest.”
Albeit Horse Racing I think is fair to say has a mixed public perception with the way horses are treated it is the average betting man’s dream... fluttering his money away on horses with rather obscure names and titles. The relationship between Red Rum and Ginger McCain seemed special and one of those which others probably could not understand, though this is a sad loss to the sporting world and I’m sure his legacy and achievements shall never be forgotten.
I have a Red Rum statue in my lounge and there it shall remain, looking upon it and remembering the real horse and what it achieved in its good old racing days!
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