Grand National legend’s grandson the ‘perfect’ jockey and on path to superstardom after Cheltenham winner
HE admitted he’s a ‘bit soft’ on national TV and was nearly reduced to tears – but this up-and-coming jockey is carrying a famous family to name victory.
Toby McCain-Mitchell, 25, was overcome with emotion after his first Cheltenham winner.
But winning is in the name for this grandson of the legendary Ginger McCain, who trained the infamous Red Rum to three Grand National victories.
McCain-Mitchell, a hugely promising five-pound-claimer over jumps, did showjumper as a kid but switched to point-to-pointing in 2020.
His mother, Joanna, daughter of Ginger, said: “Toby worked for some good showjumping yards, but I couldn’t afford to buy him a good jumping horse.
“Then one day, he was in-between showjumping jobs, and found himself with a couple of weeks to spare, so I suggested that he try riding out some racehorses with us, and that was that – he’s stuck to racing ever since.”
Following his milestone win on The Newest One at Cheltenham last Friday, he must be thanking his lucky stars he did.
In the last couple of years, the ball has begun rolling for the top amateur, who in that time has ridden seven winners from just 31 rides.
He started off with the odd ride for his uncle, Donald McCain, in 2019.
The top Northern trainer took over his father Ginger’s yard when the old man retired in 2006, then followed in his late father’s footsteps to Grand National glory in 2011.
But McCain-Mitchell moved south in July last year and started working for Grand National-winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, a move that has begun to pay dividends.
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He had his first ride for the Gloucestershire trainer at the Cheltenham October meeting, and exactly a year on he’s ridden his first Cheltenham winner at the same meeting.
In a very enthusiastic post-race interview with ITV presenter Alice Plunkett, he said: “All thanks to Nigel and ever since I’ve been there I absolutely love it.
“You know, schooling day in day out with Sammy, Bellsy and good jockeys, you know, they improve you.
“I love it there, it’s just brilliant and hopefully I’ve started to repay them.”
Given his impeccable race tactics aboard The Newest One, in the same silks at the relentless hurdler The New One, this looks likely to be the case.
Twiston-Davies was full of praise for his latest protege.
He said: “Toby is a very good rider. He asked to come to us and we’ve loved every minute of it.
“He’s Ginger’s grandson and was perfect the whole way round, wasn’t he? I don’t want to tell everyone that as I don’t want anyone else nicking him!
“He (The Newest One) seems to be getting better as he gets older. I really was hopeful today and we’d planned this from a long way out.
“He could come back here, or there is talk about looking at the Becher Chase.”
But the exciting new addition to the weighing room was keen to play it down, whilst also threatening to get a bit emotional.
He said: “Oh – he’s brilliant. So straightforward. He got in a lovely rhythm out in front and didn’t let me down anywhere.
“We were a bit in tight to the last two but in fairness, I just managed to fill him up as we were going into the dip the second time and he digged out well.
“One thing James Turner – who has had a few rides on him – said is that he is one tough lad.
“So I knew if I was bang there turning in and had just saved enough to get home he’d tough it out and that’s exactly what he did.”
When asked how special the occasion was in light of the depths to which his family is steeped in jump racing, he said: “I’m a bit soft so you’re making me choke up.”
And Toby isn’t the only grandchild of the legendary taxi-driver-come-racehorse trainer to take to the saddle.
Cousin Ella McCain did a two-year spell as apprentice for Northern Flat trainer Tim Easterby before deciding to quit in 2022 because she was ‘no longer getting a thrill out of it anymore.’
She returned home to work as an assistant for her father, focusing on expanding the stable’s flat team.
And her sister Abbie McCain has ridden both on the flat and over jumps, and now also works for her father as a 5lb claiming conditional.
She’s had 11 rides and 146 rides under her belt but hasn’t ridden in a race since falling off at Bangor-on-Dee in June.
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