Red Rum trainer McCain wins again at Aintree

Aintree legend Ginger McCain rolled back the years to make a triumphant return to the track as Amberleigh House sprang a surprise in the Tote Becher Chase today.

The trainer famous for landing the Grand National three times with Red Rum is now dreaming of a fourth triumph in the world`s most famous chase with the gelding, who made a mockery of odds of 33-1.

He had fancied the nine-year-old for last year`s running, only to see him knocked over in the melee at the Canal Turn in last season`s controversial National - when only two horses put in a clear round.

And Amberleigh House showed that bad experience had left no lasting effect with a foot-perfect round of jumping under Warren Marston.

Smarty, a remote second to Red Marauder in the big race in April, looked set to go one place better when he led going well jumping the second-last fence and he still held a clear lead after the last.

But Marston had timed his run to perfection on Amberleigh House, who took the lead with200 yards to go in the three miles, three furlongs contest and stayed on strongly to score by two lengths, with Church Place another two and a half lengths away in third.

An emotional McCain, 71, was cheered into the winner`s enclosure and said: 'I do love this place - I would run a ruptured hen here!

'There`s not a course in the country I`d sooner have a winner at, particularly over the big fences.

'This course has been very good to me but I was beginning to wonder if I would have another winner here - I thought I had had my days here and I wasn`t entitled to any more - so this is lovely.'

And the trainer is full of hope that Amberleigh House can give him an even more memorable day next April.

'Hopefully he will come back to Liverpool,' said McCain, landing his first win over the big fances since Red Rum`s third National triumph in 1977.

'We will probably give him one run at Haydock and one run somewhere else with a view to being cherry ripe for the National.'

Smarty is also set to return for the big race in April.

Trainer Mark Pitman said: 'I was worried about him returning here after last time but he never put a foot wrong today and God willing he will be back in April.'

Smarty`s jockey Norman Williamson had a happer time elsewhere on the card, landing a double on Kings Castle in the Stanley Racing Children In Need Handicap Hurdle and Master Pilgrim in the Sefton Handicap Chase.