DonaldMcCain

[i]14.00 2m Grade 2 Novices' Hurdle[/i] [b]Agent Archie[/b] He looked a good prospect when winning his first two starts and he probably had a bit too much use made of him at Cheltenham last time. I think this flatter track should be more suitable and we will ride him with a bit more restraint. He continues to work very well at home and if he does improve for this track, he could go very well. [i]15.40 2m5f Handicap Chase[/i] [b]Fabalu[/b] I've been desperate to run him over the National fences for a couple of seasons and although it's a drop in trip, they will go a lick and bring his stamina into play. It's always a competitive race but he has a lovely racing weight and if he can get into a rhythm in the early stages, he is the type of horse who could run a big race. [i]16.15...

[b]Aintree[/b] [b]14.00 3m Hurdle - Across The Bay[/b] He's probably too high in the weights to win one of the handicaps and the owners were happy to come here. He's obviously up against it with Big Buck's in the field and if he could just nick some prize money that would be a bonus. [b]14.30 2m 4yo Hurdle - Gottany O'S[/b] You can put a line through his last run - every time I send a good horse to Hexham they get beaten and I vow not to run another one there! He's much better than that and if he could return to his Newbury form, he wouldn't be without a chance. It's obviously a very good race but it's worth remembering he was smart on the Flat and if he can just get it all together, he certainly isn't out of place in a race like this. He's got local connectiosn and, having...

After a lengthy discussion with the owners, we have decided that [b]Weird Al[/b] will join [b]Ballabriggs[/b] in Saturday's Grand National. We just felt that he might not get the chance to run off such an attractive mark in the future and that he might be the sort of horse who would really take to the place - in the end, it's the [b]Grand National[/b] and the decision really took care of itself. He was obviously below par in the Gold Cup but he bled there and it clearly wasn't his true running - he has looked in great nick at home since. [b] Timmy Murphy[/b], who rode him to win the Charlie Hall, will take the ride [b]For more exclusive Donald McCain content, go to http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/donald-mccain/[/b]

[u]13.30 2m Grade 1 Hurdle[/u] [i]Hollow Tree[/i] I don't think he needs soft ground but he handles it so well that the news they have been watering is encouraging. This will be a very different test to anything he has experienced before but he has a lovely way of going about things and I don't think it will faze him. He has had to do a lot of the work himself in his races up until now but he should get some company this time and he might appreciate running past horses, rather than being the target for them to aim at. It's clearly a very tough race but he's a Grade 1 winner who hasn't run a bad race since we had him and he shouldn't be far away. [u]14.05 2m Handicap Hurdle[/u] [i]Desert Cry[/i] It's been a frustrating campaign for him as every time he has run in one of these big ...

[u]13:30 4m Novice Chase[/u] [i]Lively Baron[/i] He is obviously up in grade here and has a bit to find on the ratings but I have run better horses than him who haven't got home here and the one thing he will do is stay. He will love the ground and, as long as he can get into a rhythm early on, he might outrun his odds. As I say, he will be staying on when others have had enough and it wouldn't surprise me to see him give a good account. [u]16:00 2m5f Handicap Hurdle[/u] [i]Son of Flicka[/i] He ran a screamer when he was second in the 'boys' race last year and he has been aimed at this meeting all season. He wasn't in much form earlier in the year but his work has been better in recent weeks and he does seem to be coming to himself - he's back down to a more realistic mark...

[u]13:30 2m Grade 1 Hurdle [/u] [i]Cinders And Ashes [/i] I've always thought a lot of him and he has been going well at home since his last run. There has been lots of talk about him doing his winning on heavy ground but that's because I have made him run on heavy ground, not because he wants it. I fully expect him to improve for the better ground, his hurdling has been very slick so far and he has to go there with a leading chance. [i]Agent Archie [/i] He has crept under the radar a bit but he has been bouncing at home since he won at Newcastle and that run has brought him forward. I think my fears that he might be a flat-track 2m horse may have been slightly misplaced and Jason [Maguire] doesn't think the track will bother him at all. If I didn't have Cinders And Ashes in the...

Although Ballabriggs has been given a big weight [11-9], I am not surprised and I certainly haven't got a problem with it. My father always argued that there should be some sort of 'Aintree factor' and having been brought up in an era of previous Grand National winners having big weights, I really can't complain. He's won the race before, he's a big strong horse who can carry the weight and the fact he is proven at Aintree offsets a couple of extra pounds. I fully expect him to carry top weight on the day but, as I say, it isn't a surprise and all we can do is get him there in the best shape we can. I am hoping to give him a racecourse gallop at Haydock at the weekend and then it's hopefully on to Kelso in early March for his reappearance. Weird Al has been given a fair weight...

[u]13.15 3m1f Beginners' Chase [/u] [i]Alexander Road [/i] She's back up in trip and she clearly needed the run at Wetherby more than I thought. She's a likeable mare so I was a bit disappointed last time, but this doesn't look the strongest novice chase and I would think she ought to go well. She jumps very well at home and if she can get into a rhythm round here, she has a decent chance. [u]13.45 2m Novice Hurdle [/u] [i]Star In Flight [/i] He's got a penalty in a tougher race than last time but he did win very easily and I think that his previous experience of Catterick will stand him in good stead. The ground is drying out which will help him and although he is a bit fizzy, this track suits him as he can pop off in front and get into a rhythm. John Ferguson's horse [Cry Of...

[b]12.20 3m Handicap Hurdle - Code Blue[/b] I think that the trip in testing ground at a galloping track like Haydock should be right up his street. Henry Brooke gets to claim off him which is a bonus and it doesn't look the strongest race for the track. He ought to give a good account. [b]12.50 2m4f Handicap Chase - Mr Chippy[/b] This is a step up in class for him but he goes on the ground and I think he just struggled to get home over further at Hexham last time. He had a hard race there but he has been fine at home since and this shorter trip should suit. He has a nice weight here and I would think he had a decent chance. [b]13.25 2m Novice Hurdle - Cinders And Ashes[/b] I was really pleased with him at Aintree and if he copes with this ground, he will be very hard...