McCain: No reason I Am Maximus cannot make it three

Donald McCain was impressed by I Am Maximus as he set up the chance to emulate the Grand National exploits of Red Rum, on what will be the 50th anniversary of his historic third Aintree triumph.

Next year will commemorate five decades since Red Rum became the only three-time winner of the world’s most famous steeplechase, but with I Am Maximus already becoming the first horse since the incomparable Merseyside hero of the 1970s to reclaim the prize, connections now have their sights set on their own piece of Merseyside history.

I Am Maximus’ second National success also saw Willie Mullins join ‘Rummy’s’ trainer Ginger McCain on a record four victories and Donald, who believes the race has “changed beyond recognition” since the times of his father’s Aintree great, envisages another bold bid in 12 months’ time.

McCain said: “He’s a high-class horse and it’s nice to see a horse carrying top-weight to victory in a Grand National. He’s a great dual winner of the modern National.

“In the new era of Grand National the best horses are more likely to win and there’s the condensed handicap. He’s a high-quality horse and why wouldn’t he come back next year and be thereabouts once again?”

No family is as synonymous with the Grand National than the McCains, with Ginger’s three victories with Red Rum supplemented by Amberleigh House in 2004, before Donald added to the rich history with victory of his own courtesy of Ballabriggs in 2011.

However, the name has been missing from the racecard in recent years with Donald McCain striving to find what would be a first runner since Minella Trump in 2023 for a race he sees as “still the greatest spectacle in horseracing”.

McCain added: “I’m always looking for a National horse, but it’s not quite that simple! It would be great to have another Grand National horse and just be competitive.

“It’s a race that has changed beyond recognition, even though it is still the greatest spectacle in horseracing.

“You convince yourself it has changed and it doesn’t matter, but it does. When you’re not there and you haven’t got a runner in the race it definitely matters.”