Grand National 2016 Fact Files |
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Across The Bay (IRE) 11-10-06 |
Breeding: b g Bob’s Return (IRE) - The Southern (IRE) (Glacial Storm (USA))
Breeder: Noel McLoughlin
Born: April 9, 2004
Owner: Scotch Piper Syndicate Trainer: Donald McCain Jockey: Henry Brooke
Form: 3/14512/49312U2/ PP1P8/782425P3/ 112710/ 581U0-800B
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*Won four times in Ireland when trained by Noel Meade.
*Joined current connections after selling for £10,000 at the 2011 DBS Spring Horses In Training Sale.
*Has won three times over fences, all on heavy ground, for Donald McCain, most recently in a three and a half mile handicap chase at Haydock Park in December, 2013.
*Also captured the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle at the same course in February, 2013.
*Well-beaten in first three starts this season, including in the Betfred Becher Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree in December, before being brought down four out in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12.
Race record: Starts: 41; 1st: 8; 2nd: 6; 3rd: 3; Win & Place prize money: £142,642
Scotch Piper Syndicate
Background: The syndicate derives its name from the Scotch Piper pub at Lydiate north of Liverpool - dating back to 1320, it is said to be the oldest pub in Lancashire. The current Scotch Piper Syndicate comprises Lancashire- based Graham Worsley and the brothers Anthony and Kevin Coyne, while past members have included Graham’s brother Mike, and Ireland-based Frank Towey and Barry Brennan. The idea for racehorse ownership came together over a drink in the pub, and in 2008 the group travelled to trainer Noel Meade’s yard in Ireland, viewed half a dozen horses and bought an unnamed gelding for 25,000 euros - he turned out to be Across The Bay. The syndicate came up with the name of their horse while taking lunch with Meade at a restaurant in Galway that looked ‘across the bay’. Initially their horse ran from Meade’s yard, but at Fairyhouse’s Irish Grand National meeting in April, 2011, the idea of moving him to Britain was discussed. With some syndicate members preferring to pull out, it was decided to achieve the market value for Across The Bay at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales the following month. He was sold for
£10,000 to Kevin Coyne, who was acting for himself and his brother, plus Graham Worsley and sent into training with Donald McCain. Worsley, whose interest in racing came from visiting the Grand National with his family, is chairman of St Helens-based GPW Recruitment. A chartered engineer, he joined the family engineering business after graduating in Liverpool with a degree in mechanical engineering. In his late 20s, Graham went on to become a director of Babcock International where he was involved in the design and development of fluidised bed hot gas generators. He spent 20 years as managing director of GPW Recruitment, turning it into one of the North-West’s leading providers of permanent and temporary recruitment services and became chairman in 2009. Kevin Coyne is a lawyer from Crosby and a partner in Coyne Learmonth LLP, which specialises in helping those who have suffered loss or personal injury due to any form of vehicle accident nationwide. He qualified as a solicitor in 1974. His brother Anthony is a dentist at Netherton near Bootle, close to Aintree. His practice is called Saving Faces. Born in Waterloo, Liverpool, Coyne qualified as a dental surgeon in 1985 at Sheffield University. From 1986-1991, he was surgeon lieutenant dentist with the Royal Navy. In 1996 he opened Old Roan Dental Practice, converting it to private practice in 2001 and the named changed to Saving Faces in 2005. The switch to Netherton was made in 2010. Dr Coyne has trained at Harley Street in London, the BICON Dental Institute in Boston, USA, and the University of Cartagena in Columbia.
Crabbie’s Grand National record: 2013 Across The Bay (14th); 2014 Across The Bay (15th)
Donald McCain (Cholmondeley, Cheshire)
Born: June 13, 1970, Background: son of the late Ginger McCain, trainer of the legendary Red Rum, the only horse to win the Grand National three times (1973, 1974 and 1977) and also Amberleigh House, the 2004 victor. Ginger McCain died at the age of 80 on September 19, 2011. Donald learnt to ride on his sister Joanne’s pony Gambol and rode in his first race on the Flat aged 15 (his father told a few white lies so he could ride) at Haydock Park. Subsequently became a jump jockey, firstly as an amateur and then a professional, partnering around 40 winners under Rules. He rode several times over the Grand National fences, finishing fifth aboard Harley in the 1992 Fox Hunters’ Chase and 17th on Sure Metal in the 1996 Grand National. He also spent time working for trainers Luca Cumani, Sir Michael Stoute and Oliver Sherwood. Donald subsequently became assistant trainer to his father and played a significant role in Amberleigh House’s Grand National victory in 2004. He took over the licence from his father in June, 2006, with his first winner coming courtesy of Bearaway in a handicap chase at Newton Abbot on June 8, 2006. The highlight of his training career so far was when Ballabriggs won the Crabbie’s Grand National in 2011. He sent out 100 British winners for the first time in the 2010/11 season and has topped that figure ever since, with 153 British scorers being his best total in 2011/12, and is set to do so again in 2014/15. Achievements: Has sent out six Cheltenham Festival winners and saddled 2011 Crabbie’s Grand National winner Ballabriggs.
Crabbie’s Grand National record: 2007 Idle Talk (UR 19th); 2008 Cloudy Lane (6th), Idle Talk (14th); 2009 Idle Talk (12th), Cloudy Lane (UR 15th); 2010 Cloudy Lane (8th), 2011 BALLABRIGGS (WON); 2012 Ballabriggs (6th), Weird Al (Fell 26th); 2013 Across The Bay (14th), Weird Al (PU 25th), Ballabriggs (PU bef 24th); 2014 Kruzhlinin (10th), Across The Bay (14th)
