McCain will be 76 in September

McCain, who will hand over the reins of his Cheshire stables to son Donald, saddles three National runners on Saturday: Amberleigh House, Ebony Light and recent �100,000 purchase Inca Trail.

Q: Is it a funny thought that it is your last Grand National before retirement?

No, it isn't actually, I'm looking forward to it. I am going to thoroughly, thoroughly enjoy it. It is my last as a trainer - that's definitely fact - but I'll probably be going there until they shoot me, as an assistant trainer to young Donald.

Q: You have seen all the hype before - is it as good as ever?

It always is. The only time it has bothered me is when we haven't had a runner. I don't mind if they are good or bad - a bad runner is better than no runner at all - but this year we are lucky to have three good 'uns.

It is all about taking part, and although it would be grand to win again, I don't really mind: win, lose or draw, I'll enjoy it.

Q: What chances do your three runners have?

They have excellent chances, with a few ifs and buts over the ground - Amberleigh wants it drier than Ebony Light, as does Inca Trail, I should think.

Amberleigh House won the Grand National in 2004

I know Amberleigh is 14, and getting a bit long in the tooth, but both me and (his jockey) Graham Lee think if the ground came up a bit quick, he might just surprise a few people.

I have long thought Ebony Light has a good race in him - I just hope it wasn't the decent one he won at Haydock in January.

And Inca Trail was in great form for (trainer) Paul Nicholls before I bought him for John Halewood (owner of Amberleigh House).

Q: Do you enjoy being 'Mr Aintree'?

People are very nice to an old dog like me, which is lovely. There was that episode last year - the silly, silly stuff with (woman jockey) Carrie Ford, and I said if she won the Grand National, I would bare my bottom.

When we went in, the gateman shouted: "Hey, Ginger, if that woman wins the National, they'll be queuing up all the way to Anfield to kick your backside." That's typical of what I get, and it makes for a very, very good day.

Q: What strikes you most about the last 35 years?

McCain celebrates his fourth National win

Well, I remember the winners obviously, 'Red' (Rum) and Amberleigh House.

But I was at Aintree the other day, and thought the lovely thing now is the new facilities there for the first time this year.

When you think back, it was not that long ago people were rattling buckets asking for five or 10 bob to try to save the Grand National.

It is unique, and unquestionably the greatest trial of any racehorse in the world. If it hadn't been saved, it'd have been built on and would now be a little suburbia, which would have been a tragedy.

It's got up and got going, and reflects so much credit on the management.

Q: You have talked about being a taxi driver - is that how you met Red Rum's owner Noel Le Mare?

That's right, I used to drive the guv'nor to a dinner/dance they had every Saturday night at the Prince of Wales in Southport because it was his chauffeur's day off.

I'd pick him up right on the dot of 12 o'clock, and drive him home, and he'd invite me in for a drink.

Well, I was brought up in a family in which you didn't drink whisky, or even sherry, unless someone had died or someone had got married, and I'd have three enormous Scotches and talk horses. It went on from there.

The guv'nor had three ambitions in life: to marry a beautiful woman, make a million and, at 86, he fulfilled his final ambition to win the Grand National, and he did it three times with 'Red', and was second twice, which was magic.

Q: What do you say about Red Rum?

We bought him thinking that, given luck, he might be good enough to run in the Grand National, and maybe come back again.

He loved Aintree, and revelled in the challenge, and was a complete professional, a great character, and, it may seem silly to say it, but he was a horse with a great charisma, like I have never seen in any other horse.

Being at Southport, with the beach and the sea, was very important to him, and I don't think we quite appreciated it at the time.

We had one of the best all-weather gallops in the country, and the best swimming pool, and the water was great for his legs.

Q: I imagine you still miss him now.

Red Rum is the only horse to have won the National three times

Of course. He was a major part of our lives for something like 23 years. He was unique.

You know, one of your daft reporter fellows said it must have been like losing the wife when he died.

Losing the wife? There are 25 million women in this country - what a daft thing to say - but there was, and always will be, only one Red Rum.

Q: You go to Red Rum's grave at Aintree for a chat. What do you think he'd be saying as you approach your last Grand National as a trainer?

He'd probably say: "I pulled you out of trouble three times and I'll probably do it again". He was a magic old horse, and I loved him dearly, I really did.

Q: What about Aintree ambitions now?

Well, obviously it'd be magic to win it again this year, but I would love to own a National winner, or breed a National winner from one of the broodmares I have out in the field here.

Someone asked me why I was breeding horses at my time of life. But the late Queen Mum was still breeding them at 100 years old, and the guv'nor (Noel Le Mare) didn't win the National until he was 86, so I've got 11 years to go on him.

Q: And if the Aintree magic rubbed off on the McCains this year with a win, what would that be like?

It would be too special to be true. Magic. We have three excellent chances. I have been thinking about it, and I don't think I'd go and get pickled and talk a load of rubbish.

I think I'd just have a bit of crack with my old lad (Red Rum) lying by the winning line, and I'd get great pleasure out of that.