'He allowed me to achieve a lifetime ambition and we'll always be grateful for him'

The trainer of 2011 Grand National winner Ballabriggs has paid tribute to the "wonderful racehorse" following his death. Donald McCain Racing announced yesterday afternoon (Monday, November 9) that Ballabriggs had died at the age of 25.

Ridden by Jason Maguire, the special horse gave trainer Donald McCain his first victory in the world's greatest steeplechase, and secured a second victory over the famous fences for owner Trevor Hemmings.

Donald spoke to the ECHO about the impact Ballabriggs had on his life. He said: "It was a sad day yesterday but he had a wonderful life and a long life too. Everyone gets old and he died at 25-years-old which is a great age and he was looked after like a king right until the end.

"Ballabriggs came into my yard as a four-year-old and he was a big, beautiful horse. Things didn't happen that quickly with him because he was so big and immature so it took time for him to work the job out.

"We got to a point where we knew he was pretty useful and he always looked like a horse that might make an old-style Grand National horse."

Donald said his favourite memories of Ballabriggs were the race days, in particular the 2010 Cheltenham Festival where he won the Kim Muir and the 2011 Grand National. At Aintree, the horse's odds were between 14-1 and 20-1 before the race but he unexpectedly remained in the leading pack for most of the race before pulling out in front over the final fences.

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Donald said: "We weren't supposed to be as prominent in the race as we were. He was supposed to be sort of halfway, but he took to the place that well that he ended up in front at a very early stage. He just loved the place.

"He was tired afterwards and it was a really hot day so he never got to go into the winners’ enclosure like you’d hope. We took him away to keep him cool, which is a little bit sad but at the end of the day he still won his Grand National."

Donald described Aintree as one of Ballabriggs' favourite tracks. He said: "He liked the fences and loved the big track. He jumped impeccably there, it was a challenge to him and he thoroughly enjoyed it."

Ballabriggs won seven of his 28 starts and finished in the first three on a further nine occasions. He retired on April 13, 2013, after pulling up in that year's Grand National and moved to Trevor Hemmings' Ballaseyr Stud on the Isle of Man, where he will now be laid to rest.

Donald said: "He used to come over every year for the parade of past winners at the Grand National so I'd see him then. From when he retired he was in the field with two other Grand National winners, Hedgehunter and Many Clouds.

"He had a really long and happy retirement, Mr Hemmings and Kathryn [Revitt] looked after him wonderfully.

"He was a wonderful racehorse and very straightforward to deal with. He wasn't flash at home, he was just a gentleman. He allowed me to achieve a lifetime ambition and we'll always be grateful for him".