Donald McCain: 'I look at other trainers and I'm amazed at their self-confidence - I'm scared to death of letting people down'
Lewis Porteous hears how one of the north's great stables is soaring again thanks to fresh perspective and family values
At first glance it would be easy to pigeonhole Donald McCain as a thick-skinned northerner, focused only on where his next winner is coming from, but underneath his rugged facade there is so much more than meets the eye.
His training CV includes a Grand National, six successes at the Cheltenham Festival and more than 1,600 career winners, yet it does not take long to understand that the fear of letting down his owners, their horses and the staff who look after them weighs heavily on his shoulders.
Sitting in his one-man office at Bankhouse Stables, situated in the peaceful estate of Cholmondeley Castle among the greenery of the Cheshire countryside, McCain does not try to hide the battle with his thoughts.
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Published on inThe Big Read
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Copy- 'I'm not here to tell people how to train but if you hide something from me, I'm gone, I'm done - and you won't see me again'
- 'The lads often give out to me for saying what I say - but if I didn't say what I thought I wouldn't be being true to myself'
- 'I'm not retiring just yet. It'll come to me, I'm sure, but I hate idleness - I haven't had an idle moment in 60 years'
- 'The next target has to be number one spot. It's a massive dream and it's going to be hard, but you have to keep aiming high'
- 'I know how lucky I am. I'm in a very privileged position and not many get the chance I've been given'
- 'I'm not here to tell people how to train but if you hide something from me, I'm gone, I'm done - and you won't see me again'
- 'The lads often give out to me for saying what I say - but if I didn't say what I thought I wouldn't be being true to myself'
- 'I'm not retiring just yet. It'll come to me, I'm sure, but I hate idleness - I haven't had an idle moment in 60 years'
- 'The next target has to be number one spot. It's a massive dream and it's going to be hard, but you have to keep aiming high'
- 'I know how lucky I am. I'm in a very privileged position and not many get the chance I've been given'