Birkdale’s Hinchy dreaming of National glory with Shantou Flyer
FROM Birkdale to Aintree was a path trodden many times by legendary triple Grand National hero Red Rum.
And 40 years on from Ginger McCain’s star’s famous third victory in the world’s greatest steeplechase, Southport-born solicitor Carl Hinchy is excited to be taking a similar route to potential Aintree glory.
The father of five boys said: “I’m from Birkdale, so we actually live where Red Rum’s yard used to be. And I remember the horses going up the road and being trained on the beach back then.
“As you know, they used to parade the horse on the Southport streets. Five years on the run he ran in the National – and that might just be where I got the bug.
“My grandad used to take me and leave me outside the bookies when he used to have a bet. You don’t really know where the bug for jumps racing comes from but I suppose those things brings your awareness about it as a youngster or a young man.
“We used to go to Aintree as 11, 12, 13 year olds and we used to bunk under the Melling Road (fence) and sprint onto the track and watch the racing wherever we were. When we were a little bit older, we used to buy one ticket between a dozen of us and pass it through the fence and get in that way.
“So it is a fair old journey, from doing all that to having a runner in the National. And we are very, very proud to be doing it. It is unbelievably exciting.
“We grew up like everybody else, normal folk. To be able to be lucky enough to enjoy something you are really passionate about and you love is fantastic.
“For me, we have had runners everywhere, from Cheltenham to Aintree – we have had winners at Cheltenham and Aintree. But the National would be the one race you would want to have a horse run well in. I wouldn’t say win because that is beyond your wildest dreams. But just to run well in it would be incredible.”
Hinchy has had winners at many tracks around the coun- try on the Flat at Chester and at another local venue, Haydock. The Curtis-trained Definite Outcome gave him a first victory at Aintree last season, while, after purchasing Shantou Flyer out of Irish trainer Colin Bowe’s stable last Septemer, the seven-year-old provided him with a winner at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Since then, he has finished fourth back at Prestbury Park and a good second to talented veteran Cue Card in the Betfair Ascot Chase in February.
All those runs were over short of three miles, but have all been a stepping stone to a crack at the National.
Despite being just seven, Hinchy thinks his horse has enough chasing experience for the race – but also that he will benefit from his first taste of the Aintree challenge.
He said: “He is a young horse for the race.
“Seven-year-olds haven’t got the best of records, but he is a very experienced seven-yearold. He won’t be short of jumping experience.
“This year’s favourite, Vieux Lion Rouge, was seven last year and was seventh in the race. My view on it is that, if my horse did something similar, I would be over the moon, because I see my horse as someone who could run in the National over the next two or three years.
“The trainer’s view is completely different. She thinks he has got an absolute blinding chance. She has trained horses that have run in the race before but I wouldn’t get that carried away.”
He added: “We have been waiting to run him over a trip all season. We have been send- ing him over shorter trips just to keep him sharp. He has done really well.
“He has come first, fourth and then second in a Grade One, so he is in great form. He has been trained for the race, so we are very, very excited.
“He was bought to run in the National.
“When I bought him he had a rating of 149. Last year was 145 to get in. He is a 3m1f winner at Cheltenham and the same at Punchestown, so he stays.
“Shantou’s offspring are good, strong staying types. He won first time at Cheltenham over 2m5f on soft ground, he then ran a good race in fourth at Cheltenham, staying-on. And he then ran second to Cue Card at Ascot, again staying-on past everybody.
“We know he wants more than three miles.
“He has just been trained for the race.
“We are like all the other 39 people in the race, we are very excited at the prospect of running and we hope he does us proud.”
Hinchy admits his record for backing the winner of the race isn’t the best. But he did put money on last year’s hero Rule The World, who triumphed after the ground turned testing. But the owner is hoping for better ground to give Shantou Flyer his best chance of running well.
Hinchy – who is currently in Spain to keep his excitement ‘in check’ before the big day – said: “He much prefers good ground to soft ground.
“Our horse’s chances would be greatly improved by better ground.
“If he was eight or nine you wouldn’t worry about it. But on heavy ground with that trip, you would.”
He added: “Shantous love the better ground and just a little bit of luck is needed. The Shantous aren’t the biggest, they never are.
“But he is a fantastic jumper of a fence.
“He has got a spring in his legs and I don’t have any concerns.
“He has had about 15 chase starts and you don’t get many seven-year-olds with that sort of experience behind them”.