JOANNE McCain, daughter of the late Ginger McCain, is one of 12 people to have been chosen to ride in the St Patrick’s Day Derby charity race on Thursday, March 15 at the Cheltenham Festival.

Liverpool Cathedral was filled with heart-felt memories of one of racing’s greatest characters as a thousand-strong congregation celebrated the life and times of Ginger McCain.

GRAND National-winning owner John Halewood led the tributes to Aintree legend Ginger McCain, who died yesterday, aged 80, after a short illness.

Aintree legend Ginger McCain, trainer of the great Red Rum, has died aged 80, his wife Beryl McCain has said in a statement.

DONALD MCCAIN already has one eye on next year’s John Smith’s Grand National with Ballabriggs following his brilliant display in the race on Saturday.

Donald McCain already has one eye on next year’s John Smith’s Grand National with Ballabriggs following his brilliant display in the race yesterday.

Ballabriggs was an emotional winner of the John Smith's Grand National for Donald McCain, son of Aintree legend Ginger McCain, the trainer of Red Rum.

DONALD MCCAIN, a man with a famous pedigree, saddled Overturn to land the Guinness Galway Hurdle at Ballybrit yesterday, in front of an attendance of 44,418.

Punters keeping faith with Cheltenham form suffered another reverse as Menorah became the fifth Festival winner to be turned over at Aintree with General Miller landing the John Smith’s Top Novices’ Hurdle.

NINA CARBERRY can create history aboard Character Building by becoming the first female winner of the John Smith’s Grand National.

MICHAEL Hourigan is confident the step up in trip will not trouble Dancing Tornado in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

GRAND National legend Ginger McCain has criticised the great race for now being too easy.

Graham Lee is to miss the John Smith's Grand National meeting and delay his comeback from injury by about a fortnight.

Denman readied himself for his date with destiny at Cheltenham next month with a near-faultless display under Sam Thomas in the Aon Chase at Newbury.

Mr Pointment will have to defy a welter of statistics if he is to claim John Smith’s Grand National glory at Aintree.

Cloudy Lane is to be put away for the season with a view to being prepared for the John Smith’s Grand National next year following a fruitless trip to Ireland.

Donald McCain has expressed his delight with new addition Idle Talk following the eight-year-old’s transfer to his Cholmondeley base in Cheshire.

Ginger McCain, paying his last visit to Haydock Park before handing in his trainer’s licence, scooped the feature event when Cloudy Lane powered home in the £20,000 Red Square Vodka “Fixed Brush” Novices’ Hurdle Final.

Cloudy Lane provided Ginger McCain with an emotional success in the Red Square Vodka "Fixed Brush" Novices' Hurdle Final Bonus Race at Haydock

HEDGEHUNTER is a general 4-1 favourite with the English firms, although Irish bookmakers Cashmans and Paddy Power buck the trend with a 5-1 offer, to land back-to-back runnings of the John Smith’s Grand National after heading the list of 84 horses left in the Aintree spectacular at the five-day confirmation stage.

Last year’s John Smith’s Grand National hero Hedgehunter tops 84 horses left in Saturday’s Aintree feature at the five-day stage.

Brian Harding has been picked to partner Ginger McCain’s Grand National hopeful Inca Trail.

RUBY WALSH hopes Hedgehunter can defy the weight of history by winning the John Smith’s Grand National for a second consecutive season.

Jockey Paddy Brennan has had to explain to Aintree legend Ginger McCain why he will not be partnering Inca Trial in the John Smiths Grand National.

Paddy Brennan, one of the rising stars of the National Hunt scene, has been booked to ride the Ginger McCain-trained Inca Trail in the John Smith’s Grand National.

Ginger McCain, trainer of the late Red Rum, has splashed out 110,000 guineas on former Paul Nicholls inmate Inca Trail, bringing his number of runners in the John Smith’s Grand National on April 8 to three.

HEDGEHUNTER, last year’s John Smith’s Grand National hero, will share joint top weight of 11st 12lb following the news that 96 horses stand their ground at the second forfeit stage for next month’s renewal of the Aintree marathon.

Amberleigh House was well beaten over hurdles at Hereford in his last public appearance before the John Smith’s Grand National.

ANTE-POST favourite Clan Royal and Racing Post Chase hero Innox are among 122 contenders remaining after the first forfeit stage for the John Smith’s Grand National.

Ante-post favourite Clan Royal and Racing Post Chase hero Innox are among 122 contenders remaining after the first forfeit stage for the John Smith’s Grand National.

Our Armageddon shone as brightly as the Staffordshire sunshine after registering a top-drawer victory in the Singer & Friedlander Handicap Chase at Uttoxeter.

Father and son Keith and James Reveley had a day to remember when they teamed up with Sun King to take the feature Horserace Betting Levy Board Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh.

Monkerhostin has been allocated top-weight of 11st 12lb for the John Smith’s Grand National by senior British Horseracing Board jumps handicapper Phil Smith.

Ginger McCain’s runners have hit a rich vein of form since the turn of the year and the Aintree legend kept up the good work with a 25-1 double thanks to wins from Vicario and West Hill at Sedgefield on Monday.

LAST YEAR’S winner Hedgehunter heads a healthy entry of 148 for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 8.

Paul Nicholls has a powerful 10-strong team entered in the John Smith’s Grand National as he continues his quest for his first trainers’ championship.

Ginger McCain equalled his previous best seasonal total when Regal Heights’ victory at Ayr put the Aintree legend on 22 for the campaign.

Peter Marsh Chase winner Ebony Light will continue his John Smith’s Grand National preparations with another run at Haydock next month.

Ebony Light caused a massive shock in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock Park when claiming the scalp of totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Kingscliff.

Up-and-coming jockey Andrew Glassonbury once again advertised his skills when he gave Bannow Strand a canny front-running ride to win the 32Red Online Casino Novices’ Chase at Haydock Park.

Villon made the best possible start to his chasing career with success in the St Modwen Properties Beginners’ Chase at Uttoxeter.

Aintree legend Ginger McCain could be represented in both races over the Grand National fences on Sunday.